


Your Guardian Angel

by Thpyhene



Category: Norse Religion & Lore, Supernatural
Genre: Abusive John Winchester, Archangel Gabriel (Supernatural), Before Lucifer's Fall, Character Death, Complete, Fluff and Smut, Loki's Kids, M/M, Original Character(s), Paganism, Plotty, Post-Season/Series 05 Finale, Protective Gabriel, References to Norse Religion & Lore, Trickster Gabriel, Young Sam, Young Sam Winchester
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-25
Updated: 2014-09-26
Packaged: 2018-02-10 10:08:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 51,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2021049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thpyhene/pseuds/Thpyhene
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>God had created guardian angels before, but for a human... Lucifer's vessel?<br/>This couldn't go well.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Forever Begins Today

**Author's Note:**

> *Teen rating all the way except Chapter 11*
> 
> Here goes...

May 2nd 1983.

 

Gabriel was busy playing Loki with the Pagans, snapping himself a fresh glass of champagne and weighing up the pros and cons of teleporting Ganesh, full elephant mode, in the midst of an oblivious big fat gypsy's wedding 20miles east of his cheap apartment. Watching the his own metaphorical clock tick on his plans, he gave the elephant his own charming smirk before raising his glass to the deity, pinpointing the perfect moment for the drop, ready to sip when his grace flared, vessel suddenly too small. He felt himself being pulled towards some unknown destination. Harshly. Every inch of his skin pricked up and forced him to rise to attention. He needed to get there. No, he's got to fight it. Anything could be there at that point. It could be a trap and who was to say the angels weren't all feeling this same need. Heck it could just be the horn, he hadn't had enough information about that party trick to rule it out. Either way, he needed to break this invisible tether, before it grew too strong.

 

With swift excuses he snapped himself half way across he world to the top of the Eiffel Tower, clutching the wiring between him and the drop on the city with his life, his vessel suddenly sweaty, weak and complaining from the stretch he was forcing upon himself. Damn it. He attempted a step further away, soon throwing himself back into the wiring a metre along from the last spot, droplets dripping down his forehead with every inch he moved. His stomach clutched onto the force with the same intensity as his fingers, vessel pulling against grace and barely holding out. Instead of complain or follow the force he dropped his head onto the wiring between his hands, holding himself together with all the strength he could muster.

 

"What the fuck are you?" he hissed, a secondary wave of urgency knocking him bluntly to his knees, scraping his fingers coarsely as they released their grip of the wiring and banging his head lightly, the pain mixing in with the new insatiable need. Ignoring the concern of multiple languages surrounding him he shook his head, caring little about the spectacle poofing out would create as he pushed harder, attempting to break the line pulling on his grace and teleported to the Pyramids.

 

Appearing on his knees still he clutched the fabric covering his chest. The sheer need to follow his grace's need now threatening to press out from his vessel and drag him by his claws. Sweat dripped from his brow, making him thankful for the heat covering this show of weakness now he couldn't focus on his invisibility, even in France. Clutching his hair in his hands, Gabriel attempted to steal himself once more. Barely lifting himself onto a rock and curling into the brace position. What the hell? Was this Luci again? Trying to convince him to take up his offer, be on his side? Or maybe Michael and the come home parade. Well no thanks. He would sit here, take whatever pain they threw at him and never follow. Their plans were setting into place and he was never getting involved. He had the pagans, Thor to piss off, he wasn't playing along on their little childish fight. He was the runner. That was him, his role to play and father knew he couldn't take anymore of their fighting.

 

Stop it. He calmed his breathing. Taking in lengthy breaths, holding them in and releasing them nice and slow before repeating. Within moments of deep breaths, a soft breeze flew down his spine and the need melted away until it had completely subdued.

 

Hard dusty rock had been replaced by a similarly hard yet clinically clean molded surface, matched by one at his lower back. Warm Egyptian breeze transforming into musky overcrowded heat, tamed by frequent intervals of light air con shifting from side to side as its source turned graciously. Snapping his amber eyes up, brows knitted in confusion he stared in what soon melded into awe.

 

Lucifer's vessel had been born.

 

And he was there, just across the room.

 

"Oh," he dropped into the chair, awe slacking into a confusing mix of affection and indifference, certain now he was close he would no longer be visible to the masses. Not that they would have noticed. Mary Winchester had the squirming just born child wrapped up in her arms, talking in hushed tones to her husband and eldest son, both beside the bed with Dean on tip toes to get a good view his new little brother. Their mouths moved softly but their words were lost on him.

 

Samuel...

 

Sam.

 

The childs name was warm. Homely.

 

Lifting himself from the seat he shifted to stand at the opposite side of the bed to John and Dean. So this is what, or rather who, his grace had been straining for. The childs soul was blindingly pure. His presence cool, calming. Safe.

 

This was no trap. None of this brothers or sisters were close by, not even Lucifer. Speaking of Luci... He couldn't be powerless again and it seemed without this little wrinkled human, he would be just that.

 

His eyes softened on Sam as he watched his squirming. Sweet little Sam. God had created guardian angels before, but for a human... Lucifer's vessel? Innocent little Sam. What is he playing at? His thoughts were overtaken with the need to protect. Protect Sam. Yes, he'll look after him if it was the last thing he'd do. He doubted he would be able to hold himself back now he  had encountered the boy.

 

Carefully lifting his hand to softly hold baby Sam's head, he couldn't hold back his smile when Sam stopped his squirming and leaned into the invisible touch, eyes drooping closed much to Mary's delight. Gabriel's smile only grew, affection taking over his entire body language before he could fight against it.

 

 

"Seems you've got yourself an extra babysitter kiddo."

 

 

 


	2. We Didn't Start The Fire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you didn't already know the italics are for speech that can't be heard or thoughts. 
> 
> M'Kay, lets get down to it then (~ ^.^)~

Within weeks Gabriel had discovered the bond he shares with Sam resembled that of an elastic band. He followed the Winchesters home, for the first few days only extending his reach from Sam's crib to a few miles out, staying well within the state for the first week and directly returning to Sam's side when he'd pushed too far. By a month Gabriel could reach most of the planet with ease, though he'd found staying away for a lengthy amount of time had an effect on Sam's mood, which for some reason was now like another sense in the back of his mind.

 

Gabriel's frustration at his new leash had reached Sam upon occasion, resulting in him wriggling, reaching out and crying at the absence he met. He would have left Mary to her son if his throat had not tightened, again he needed to reach Sam and reassure him growing beyond controllable measures.

 

Sam was his new sugar.

 

His new drug.

 

His presence was addictive and Gabriel wasn't complaining. He had a baby as his drug dealer and without the hassle of changing the kids diapers, that seemed like a sweet deal to him.

 

Each and every Sunday after the first month he visited Sam in his sleep. He hovered over Sam's crib, gently pressing a single finger to Sam's tiny palm for a couple of moments, settling him before unceremoniously lying their angel statue on its side as his own personal flare and leaving. This became routine.

 

Up until the fire that is.

 

Gabriel had been relaxing after a few trickster antics, newspaper open on the accounts of 'murderous plants' strangling his latest victim, a relatively young lady who had somehow managed to poison twelve wealthy men with her lethal mix of plants and pest killer, burying them side by side in her garden, only to have her garden turn against her and her the money she collected mysteriously appear at the local orphanage. At least he had done some good. It was a sweet victory. Dad wouldn't be proud but he couldn't care less when it came to that deserters opinion. Either way it was well worth munching on some of her delectable strawberries over. The safe ones anyway. So he kicked back at one of his homes around the world, choosing this time to watch the Dubai sunset with his delicious little friends. As soon as the first strawberry had brushed his lips however something in the back of his head began itching at him.

 

 _Sam._ He's probably just fussing about with something. Bath maybe. Diaper change irritating him or something along those lines. Though it wasn't him. It wasn't Sunday night yet. His absence had nothing to do with it.

 

Ignoring it he ate his strawberry. Lifting his hand he expectedly waited for another strawberry to appear from the distant bowl. But it didn't. Scrunching his eyebrows in confusion he dropped his hand and tried again, willing the strawberry to appear between his fingers. Nothing. No movement. Not even a wriggle on the strawberry's part. Irritated he stood up and grabbed a strawberry, unable to concentrate enough to snap it over but ignoring the relevance of this, instead plopping it in his mouth and humming in delight. Chewing slowly, Gabriel savoured the taste, attempting to ignore the growth of the familiar need to _protect_  flaring in his grace.

 

Dropping into his chair he tried to ignore it, focussing instead on the sunset... but again, the need grew. Shaking his head, he leant forward into his hands, elbows pressing against his jeans rough denim fabric. He froze there for a while, taking in steady breaths but as soon as they began to shake and jitter he knew he couldn't hold the need back forever. Unable to hold it back any longer he transported to Sam's side, his fear spiking as the distance between them the closed.

 

Azazel. Blade drawn instinctively, he stared as the flames surrounded the crib, moving in from each corner of the room and originating from the ceiling. Too late. He was too late to do anything.

 

Dean had Sam in his arms. His father yelled out for Mary, grabbing the angel from the side counter once he had recovered his senses and a picture from the hall of the entire family, just getting out in time. Their home was destroyed but more worryingly Sam's soul had now developed a dark spot. Demon blood. _That bastard._

 

No, he's alive, that will have to do and Dean will protect him, no angel required. To be honest it should be a god sent but even with Gabriel's twisted sense of humour this was in no way good. He could thank Dean later, right now though, he loomed over the boys, offering his finger to Sam as comfort to which he closed his fist around, effectively silencing him and Gabriel in succession. _Safe. Alive... Good._

 

Removing his finger before Dean went to follow his father, he whispered sorrowfully, _"Shoulda been here kiddo. Dean though, he'll be here. He'll do what I never could."_

Following the family along for the next few days he watched them fall into a new routine of motel rooms, keeping their goods limited so that they could move at ease, not that much had survived the flames anyway. As he had expected, Dean had fallen into Mary's shoes, tasked as Sam's protector by their father. John had set himself on the wild goose chase, writing all the information he had on Azazel in a small diary and leaving space for other monsters to come. By the end of the week John had gone to see Missouri Moseley, learning about Mary's past and following her death, he stocked up on all sorts of weaponry ranging from stores of salt to stakes.

 

Taking up his task as an amateur hunter left him exhausted as learn in order to keep up, writing furiously in his notes after each hunt in order to retain information of his experiences and leaving barely enough supplies for his sons to survive on alone. Returning to his usual visits Gabriel caught small chunks of information at a time. Mostly this consisted of the brothers always moving, motel to motel, now and again dropping in on Bobby on occasions like birthdays or some extreme hunt. That didn't stop him from making himself visible now and again to familiarise himself with Sam, thankfully he didn't seem to mind and grasped onto his finger as usual, like it was his lifeline.

 

Dean had become John's perfect little soldier, swallowing the 'watch out for Sammy' line he was always given no questions asked and protecting them with each move, setting up Sam's angel at his bedside every motel, cooking their favourite meals with practise, cleaning and so on. Often on Gabriel's visits he smirked toward the small angel figure, knocking it over, as usual, each Sunday night and only adding in extra visits when Sam's moods fell into extremes. Fear, anger and immense happiness were often triggers of these special visits, however as Sam grew larger these visits dropped in number, only highlighting Sam's ageing. At every visit though he dropped everything and went to snake his hand though Sam's developing soft brown hair, brushing away his troubles and curling himself around the boy when he was needed most. It seemed when he did appear Sam was usually too wrecked to make much sense or ask much about the strange appearances.

 

At some point during the visits Sam had asked his name. Lo seemed to be the most appropriate choice.

 

Now he was older, Sam wasn't as scared as he used to be. Sometimes though fear stumped him. Like tonight. This time his fear was intense. This time, as Sam's fear spiked, Gabriel had snapped there instantly, not taking any chances after the fire. Dean was there, gun to a Shtriga, which stood over Sam, feeding on him already... but he wasn't shooting. Dean had learnt to shoot recently, John had took him to some targets and kept him there till he could hit the bullseye every time. Right now though skill wasn't the problem. Dean had never shot anything living before. Fear took over.

 

 _"Kid? The whole idea of this is to shoot!"_ he fussed to himself, fingers fidgeting as he prepared his grip for his blade, ready to jump in last second and expose himself if it meant Sam's life. His feet shuffled across to behind Sam, almost completely behind him when John appeared, taking the beast down within an instant and leaving Gabriel glad about his presence for once, the bullet narrowly avoiding him. Not that that was massively bothering. It had left a few holes in their motel room wall, along with some the mess the monster had made to clean up but that was only an added extra in the argument engaging between John and his eldest son.

 

After this incident Dean only became more protective over his little brother. Not that that was an issue either. It did, however, mean less opportunity to turn visible around Sam. To smooth down his hair or wrap himself around him.

 

That night a lollipop had appeared by Sam's bedside, sitting directly under his angel figure.

 

By morning, it was gone.

 

For every one of Sam's birthdays after the Shtriga visit, Gabriel left a strawberry lollipop in way of apology since he couldn't actually be there himself, visibly at least. Sam had surprisingly not questioned their random appearance, knowing that he couldn't mention Lo to Dean or John, maybe even pinning their appearance on them and happily accepting his angels gifts. Since then the archangel had also learned to be thankful for his tap of information leaking through their bond. Often this would be mood changes or mass movement. Every time Sam woke it was like another part of his brain waking with him and as he grew older his moods became more readable and often more controlled. Sam's fear was no longer blinding and was much less frequent. Any small amount of emotion fed through into Gabriel's mood, his happiness making him feel on top of the world and lows bringing on an all too familiar need to be beside Sam, to make it better.

 

He kept himself invisible to the naked eye however, not wanting John to take a shotgun to him or Dean for that matter. Sam seemed to be the most reasonable of the bunch but he knew better than to push his luck.

 

Speaking of John, Sam had become increasingly agitated with the man. Once he was old enough to ask questions about their mother or argue over disagreements they could often be found at each others throats, Dean moving away like the perfect little soldier if he agreed or not often trying to smother the flames before they took the whole family down with them. Not that Sam could do much arguing, he was too young to keep up just yet, though that in itself was in no way reassuring either. At least he wasn't as bad as Luci.

 

By Sam's fifth birthday Gabriel had limited his routine visits to every two weeks and by after two more months, this as well had limited to each month. Their bond was much more controllable now, it had matured along with Sam and since he had Dean there to protect him, the angels presence seemed unnecessary most of the time.

 

Instead Gabriel returned his attentions to being a Trickster, moving from state to state and taking just desserts on those who deserved a bit of their own medicine. He stuck to close states at first, easily able to maintain his routine that way before moving onto further states and across countries, often visiting Sam more to cope with the distance. Ruffling his hair seemed to help massively on each visit. Small touches calmed them both where as large distances and long periods of time apart set them both on edge. Sometimes he could do this while visible, show Sam he was still there but even these moments were rare. Though with John's development into a hunter, Sam's emotions had been known to run high, roping the archangel in to investigate. Dean's 'dads a superhero' lie had also not gone down well, and before Dean had returned from his tempered escape, Sam had found John's diary and learned all he needed to know. Lo had been there, smoothing his hair moments before Dean had entered, encouraging Sam to learn more with a heavy heart. He was Lucifer's vessel too though, the kid needed to know what he was up against. When the time came Sam would need their bond, and Gabriel would have to fight if it where not destroyed by then. Pleading with his brother might help them in some ways but while horns was in the cage he was content with avoiding these thoughts, instead enjoying Sam's company.

 

Two months before Sam's ninth birthday, Sam's emotions erupted. Gabriel had been comfortably seated in his lasted flats around the world. Well worn jeans and a cotton shirt igniting in colour as the sun began to rise on Sydney, completely set only moments ago on most of America and Sam with it. Within a split second the archangels comfortable position, laying back in his armchair, one leg laid over the other on the table only a metre away switched to flat on a cheap, hard carpet floor and dumped inelegantly in the middle of the Winchester's new domain. Huffing, he brought one hand to snake through his hair, the other pushing himself off the floor as his legs un-sprawled and helped to lift him up to his feet.

 

"Sam?" he asked, mostly to himself as he dropped his hand from his hair, now relatively smoothed and pulled up beside the kitchen counter. The room was small, three beds pushed to the sided of the room with a meek kitchen, wardrobe and door, likely leading to a bathroom. It wasn't stylish but it wasn't horrible. No flowery wall paper just simple cream followed by blue carpet and a wooden looking desk littered with John's information, the wood itself matching that of both the headboards of all three beds and the counter with added chairs.

 

To his surprise the place wasn't massively littered, there was only enough rubbish for a single person to create, a mouses share of the mess he'd grown used to seeing. Not that that lifted Gabriel's hopes at all. That suggested John and Dean had left Sam here or had gone away for long enough so he could create this mess. Maybe two, three days of mess. Two or three days alone.  _Unprotected._

 

Whatever hopes the archangel had entered with dropped.

 

"Oh kiddo..."

 

"Who's t-there?", a meek stuffy voice conjured with want sounded like massive effort.  _Sam... Shit._ "Why are you here?" he tried again, voice filled with stocky determination, driving his voice to sound much stronger than his previous enquiry had.

 

The bond must have been clouding his judgement, damn. He took a step from the counter and towards the door, almost knocked back with the resultant force of fear and isolation peaked inside him.  _Oh Sam._ "Well?" he attempted to bark.

 

"I'm a friend of your Dad's," the archangel produced smoothly.

 

"Yeah well he's been gone for days. What are you doing here? Why would he send you? ...How did you get in the door didn't even unlock- o- or- or click and-"

 

"Woah woah, hold your horses kiddo. I'm not your Dad's friend for nothing y'know? I've got a few tricks of my own and for your information he didn't invite me here, but I don't approve of him leaving his son for days on end. So, I hauled my ass over here... To check up on you... You don't sound too great."

 

A pause, "Did you... you just call me kiddo?"

 

"Yeah," he announced back slowly, analysing his words in confusion. Watching at the door clicked unlocked he was swiftly met with the boy, not much smaller than himself, mere inches away, staring with unparalleled fury as he searched the others eyes for answers.

 

"Lo?" he whispered hoarsely, the red and grey surrounding his eyes matching that of his fathers, a sleep deprived boy crying for hours reduced to nothing and now desperate.  _He'd showed up late, again._

 

Sighing he nodded, adding for good measure, "Yeah. Its me kid."

 

Without a second thought Sam clenched the fabric of the man's soft shirt, twisting it in his fists and in a desperate rage dragged him to meet Sam, his head falling into Lo's chest. Wrapping an arm around Sam, bringing the other to snake and smooth his hair he lifted his head to sit over his, pulling the boy in and hiding him from the world. Devoid of much thought he was unable to stop himself diving into Sam's mind, finding an abundance of images relating to the supernatural, mostly centring on demons and Shtriga, slowly falling into days alone, boredom, walking up to the door and then back again, flashing back to Dean asking him to stay put for his sake. Seems Sam had learnt his dad was definitely not a travelling salesman and his work, filled with beasts, ghosts and ghouls alike. That wasn't the problem though, this time Sam's thoughts had gone to Dean. For the last few days Sam had been left alone and Dean, Dean was out there hunting with John. On the motel desk lay John's open journal, the page open on vampires.  _Oh. Right._

 

They stood there for a while, Sam's grip flexing between loose and death grip before he finally slumped. He'd have to work on this whole bond thing. He couldn't show up late any more, Sam's emotional fluctuations were less frequent but more serious as he grew older. Little inconsistencies meant big problems and missing even smaller things now wasn't acceptable if he was going to do this 'guardian angel' gig right. Any-ways, Sam had recognised him just from speaking the kids nickname, it was too late to turn back now and it was obvious anyway that he needed him. Or they needed each other. He wasn't so sure which was the truth any more but either way, the Winchesters would be back soon, he had checked on the way and no matter how much they both wanted it, he couldn't just stand here forever.

 

The older man smoothed his hair for the final time, lifting his chin off of Sam's head and pulled them apart, hands holding his shoulders steady. "Wanna talk about it?" he asked simply, tone velvety soft and regretful. When Sam shook his head he pushed no further, instead dropping a single hand into his jeans pocket and pulling out a strawberry lollipop. Pushing Sam back with one hand before the lanky boy sat down on the end of his bed, he unwrapped the lollipop and pressed it to his lips. "Open" Lo commanded gingerly, holding his shoulder in place as an anchor.

 

Sam nodded, eyes drooping in exhaustion and mouth accepting the lollipop. "Dun gouh," he slurred, noticing the lollipop as if for the first time and pulling it out to add "You won't come back if you do." 

 

It was a statement, not a question and he frowned. "Sammy," he paused, noting he was allowed the use of this nickname, just this once, so he continued, "I'm not leaving you, I will come back, I always do."

 

Even with his eyes pleading him to see it was the truth. Sam didn't believe it. How could he? He needed something physical. Evidence. Something to prove he wasn't lying. With a sigh, he watched Sam clutch on the lollipop and plop it back into his mouth with resolute sadness.

 

That wouldn't do. "Got a phone kiddo?"

 

Employing almost inhuman speed Sam nodded, detaching himself from Lo and produced an old flip phone out from the first draw of his desk. Punching the phone on, he swung his legs over the side of the bed, patting a place for the man to sit beside him lower down the mattress. Lo took the hint. "You need a better phone kid," he snarked and after a few attempts with the sticky keys, Lo had his number typed into Sam's phone.

 

"Can I?" Sam asked, taking the phone back off of the older man when offered and holding an overly shocked expression for words. Gabriel could feel his happiness radiating off from the bond, laced with caution, in case it was some cruel trick.

 

"You can call me whenever Sammykins, I'll answer most of the time and if I don't I'll call back within the hour," he stated, leaving no room for doubt in this tone.

 

The eight year old mulled it over, eyeing the phone before giving Lo the same inspection, "Promise?"

 

"Promise," he smirked, pulling the boy in again for a lengthy hug and cupping his cheek as he pulled away. Thankful he had ignored the eccentric nickname. "No more doing this alone okay? You need me. You call," he moved his hand from Sam's cheek to poke his chest by the end of the sentence and the eight year old giggled, nodding as way of reply.

 

"Okay," Gabriel nodded decidedly to himself, bringing himself to stand before turning back to face Sam. "Your old man will be back soon. He can't know I've been here, Dean as well okay? Any mention of me might not go so well."

 

"Okay," Sam smiled and nodded, waiting for Lo to move or something but he was staring, probably assuring he wouldn't be spoken of, so Sam added "I won't say anything".

 

The front door clicked a second after as a key was entered from the other side, hastily Lo darted into the bathroom but not without mumbling "Later Sam." Sam's eyes snapped from the bathroom to the door as John entered with Dean trailing behind, both slightly muddy and completely ravenous. He set on a nervous smile, greeting them back as he remembered the bathroom had no windows, Lo was probably waiting out some form of escape once everyone had turned in for the night. After humouring his family with light conversation and food, he quietly sneaked to the bathroom, carefully closing the door as he entered to hide the others view of the inside. As he turned however, expecting Lo, he was met with thin air, a ghost of where the man had been painted by a single remaining strawberry lollipop he hadn't noticed he had taken from Sam, sitting in its crumbled opened wrapper.

 

 _"Have fun working that one out kiddo,"_  he snickered to himself, then vanished.

 

 

 


	3. Pet

Sam didn't often need to contact Lo. He never did as he didn't want to be a hassle so he continued as usual, getting used to Dean going on hinting trips with their father and missing out on the schooling life he had desired so deeply. Every so often for his troubles he would ask Dean more about their hunts or mothers death but he seemed to be determined to keep the world of the supernatural separate from his little brother, so he kept his cool and didn't push it. Instead they talked about common teenage things, comic books, girls now and again if they were somewhere long enough to admire, though these talks usually ended in Dean bawling over in laughter and Sam embarrassedly blushing, whatever was on telly or just generally playing games. Obviously Dean would always dominate Sam in the games that required strength but for agility Sam could easily run rings around his brother, climbing trees or finding his way into small hiding spots also seemed to be a speciality of his, allowing him to read in peace almost 24/7 if he could maintain excitement in each story line. Books lead him back to Mary, to John's journal and the supernatural creatures out there, often wanting to find out more about the stories surrounding his family, again denied by Dean to his annoyance, being offer the cold shoulder for days afterwards, each time, without fail.

 

By his twelfth birthday however Sam had grown aggravated with the silence from both Dean and their father on the subject of their mother's death and had gone to ask John about the subject, returning from his room less than ten minutes later with a bruise on the side of his face, much worse for wear. Anger was dripping off of him, sending ripples to both Dean and Gabriel from afar. He couldn't stay here for any longer. Dean had asked what had happened, went to help but he wouldn't take it from him. He had denied him answers too and right now that annoyed him just as much as John's outburst. Irritatedly he snatched together some money from his desk, his phone, a snack in the shape of a half eaten chocolate bar and a three-quarter full bottle of water, throwing it all in his rucksack. He marched to the door, steam coming off him all the way only to meet Dean standing beside the door, keeping his mouth shut, learning from his last attempts and trying to look casual against the motel door. He tried one last time to beseech to his brother, telling him to go to the room, stay and he could put ice on it, they could talk about what happened but Sam had made his mind up and before Dean could stop him the door had swung open and closed in seconds, enough to let in a handful of snow. Cold flakes replacing him and melting into the carpet.

 

It was cold. Bringing up his jacket he tried desperately to cap his temper and consider his options. Nearby was a local park, pub, some stores most likely closed so late into the night... or the morning, he wasn't aware of which any more and a church a few miles out on some touristy faith spot. Since the pub was the warmest and closest, that's where he settled on. With new purpose he stopped to tie up his shoe laces properly before propelling himself towards the pub, determined to gather distance between him and his lying family.

 

At some point on the way Sam's anger had transmitted over to Gabriel, closely resembling his in intensity it sent him reeling, swiftly pulling up information on Sam's location. He could of just ignored it, Sam had been angry before, but this time was different, he could just feel it. Headed towards some outlandish pub and almost there, Gabriel transported himself there before Sam arrived, ordering a fancy cocktail before falling down into one of their sofa seats, waiting for the trudging pre- teen to arrive. In the meantime he surveyed the place. It wasn't a large place, but it seemed large enough that from where he was seated Gabriel couldn't see the door on either end, just the car park from his window side seat, though over the light music he could focus on a large rowdy group beside the bar, parallel to the door. They sounded like bikers, angry pissed bikers, definitely not his favourite kind of person on two wheels, but at least they were too drunk of their asses to do little more than flirt in cheap slurred words. Across the car park seemed to be the common lay out for a drug stop, mixed in with a prostitute crowd further down, many of which were practically naked but not of similar physical characteristics, most likely to get more customers in. Some where under age, though he could guess most ranged from fourteen to late thirties, after that they'd likely get little business, some where male and others were female, the colours of their skin also varying between them. Worrying though there was a kid not unlike Sam or Dean, he looked like a ten year old though he knew from the boys mannerisms he was much older, maybe fifteen, sixteen, in the middle of the group, stashing money into his jeans and answering a passer by in his truck. Gabriel sincerely hoped that that was drug money, but he knew it wasn't.

 

His cocktail arrived as Sam did, the bell on the door ringing the instant the beer touched down on his coaster, dragging him back to reality. He didn't know the concoctions name but he'd find out later, now he turned his head, listening in as the bikers group turned silent and Sam moved to the bar, ordering a hot chocolate and stuffing crumpled money from his backpack onto the counter. Some shuffling came from behind the counter and then it was the bikers and him. For a while the room remained silent but no childish hoping was never going to make that last.

 

"It's two am boy," one of the drunkards points out, moving over to Sam with sluggish movements and no regard for his personal space, sending the archangels skin alight, crawling with the need to be there, protect his claim on Sam. That wasn't right though, he made a conscious decision to only intervene in Sam's business when there was no other happy ending, no way out. At those moments he'd force himself in on it, but now Sam didn't seem too put off by the stranger, he simply swerved a little, in an attempt to avoid him which was actually quiet successful at first, until the man reaffirmed his presence. "And that's alot of money," he points out, moving over him once again, pressing Sam to the counter full on, taking his wrists and holding him down against the metal, "Won't survive on that forever though... Not alone..." the creeps eyes looked him up and down, hungrily. "Where are your parents kid?"

 

Ignoring Sam's threats and protests as he endeavoured to wriggle free, the drunkard only tightens his grip, forcing a low groan of pain out of the pre-teen. For some sick reason, his friends seemed to be ignoring he scene in favour of conversation, so he continued without delay, the duty bartender ignoring the action to make his hot chocolate. "Mm, now that's a moan you could make money off, what'd ya say kid? Hmm?" he pressed onto Sam, repulsing the boy with the promise in his movements. _No body touches his Sam that way_. His anger grew until he was seething. _No, not even Lucifer could get his claws on his Sam. His._   _He was his!_ _No one else's. Never anyone else's._ "I pay good money for boys like you... So innocent... So weak... You never fight back- so good... You gunna be good for me boy?" the creeps hand moved to Sam's stomach, slowly falling lower and lower with every syllable he spoke, sparking an entirely new storm of rage in Gabriel he was unaware he was capable of.

 

"Okay, that's enough," the archangel hissed, struggling to keep his feelings capped while moving from his seat directly over to the man with dark purpose in his eyes. The glare would scare most to death but coming from a smaller man to an intoxicated, bulky tree of a man, it seemed like empty threats. Though one of the creeps hands lifted from Sam's stomach in defence against Gabriel, as the archangels demanding tone seeped through to his primal nerve, the other remaining tight around his wrist in contradiction to the need to take flight and not fight the angelic being.

 

"Lo," Sam breathed joyfully, his eyes however expressing his worry as he took on the beast.

 

 _That's it._ Snatching the bikers arm, he twisted it off Sam's wrist with raw strength, fracturing his wrist and snarling as he did so on instinct. "Get. Off. Him." His other hand came around the bikers throat, pushing him up towards the side wall of the pub and maintaining his sickening glare, ignoring the man's pain. "Nobody. Touches. The kid. Hear me?" the snarl continued, invisible wings ruffling into overflowing anger behind him, Gabriel unable to hold them back any longer, biker raised and choking on a frantic sober nod before he dropped to the ground like a sack of flour.

 

"Get out," he affirmed, tone velvet soft compared to his prior predatory snarl. The others grabbed their fallen friend and hauled him to his feet, taking in the seriousness of Gabriel's command in nothing short of surprise. His animalistic display had them stooped. Irritated and radiating archangel rage he bellowed once more, leaving no doubt in anyone's mind that this was one of the archangels of God's court, "God's Hero" and right here, right now, he meant business. _He was his._  His wings shifted again, sprawling wide in a display of power that seemed to echo through to his eyes. Frantically they shuffled together and within a few moments of clumsy movements, they were gone, the door smacking closed on the cold after them.

 

Turning to Sam, he stared directly at him, lifting an eyebrow in an tempt to push him to speak. But no sound came in reply so he took his shoulder, shaking him lightly. "Lo" Sam acknowledged, the speed of the recent events almost flooring him. With a nod he took Sam's hot chocolate as it reached the counter, pulled him into a hug, letting him drop his head into the fabric of the man's shoulder, while his wings enveloped him in his essence and teleported them to inches away from his table. After dragging out the hug a few seconds longer, until his wings retracted, assured by Sam's touch, he set Sam down on the seat opposite his with his drink.

 

Sam wasn't sure when Lo had sat himself down, but he ignored that little fact. It seemed the man was faster than he looked, much stronger too. If their hug sessions years earlier had been anything to go by, the man before him shouldn't have been able to do that at all, somehow though he had managed to get another man three times his size, choking him halfway up the wall and begging for forgiveness. Yet he didn't even break a sweat. After a few moments of mumbling and staring Lo interrupted his train of thought with a stern but concerned "Drink up kiddo, it'll get cold." 

 

To that Sam nodded. His brain were slowing clicking back into action, cogs slotting into place, allowing him to grab his drink and sip a tad from the mug. It was too hot yet. Placing it back down he centred himself momentarily, the clang of his mug onto its coaster stirring him back into action. "How did you know?"

 

Lifting his golden eyes to Sam he smirked and then frowned in quick succession, happy he had spoken but obviously dismayed by the subject, "I didn't, so don't remind me kiddo." He paused, taking a sip of his cocktail and staring at how it swirled for a moment before continuing with thicker sadness in his tone. "That creep easily could of had you out in the parking lot, he had you overpowered alright and he was obviously fucked up enough for it."

 

Dropping his head, he sighed, Sam doing the same. "You saved me though," he muttered.

 

A few moments of silence passed, "Yeah," he smirked now lifting his head and bringing his cocktail to his lips, "I'm not letting a bastard like that be your first."

 

"Who said that would be my first?" the boy huffed.

 

"Oh please Sam," his smirk grew, "You can't lie to the liar," he wiggled his eyebrows with fake promise and finally sipped his cocktail, finishing almost three-quarters before setting it down again. Sam followed his lead, face slightly flushed from his previous comment but he knew when to admit defeat and anyway, his hot chocolate was now almost perfect. Setting it down after another sip he decided on two more minutes before beginning to drink in larger sips.

 

"Why were you here anyway, you heard the creep its two am... Wait," he eyes harshened as he noticed the bruise on the side if Sam's face, abandoning his sofa seat he stood and moved over to Sam. Certain the seat could manage them both, with maybe even room for another person he sat beside him, hand lifting to the boy's cheek and cupping it softly, completely contrasting the glare the mark received and the treatment those very same hands gave the biker before him. He turned up his gaze, meeting Sam's eyes and asked sternly, "Did they hurt you? Because if they did-"

 

"No! No, they didn't hurt me," he scrambled to reply.

He gently rubbed his thumb against the mark, "Then who did Sam because you obviously didn't do that by yourself!"

 

No nicknames. This was serious. He was serious. And glaring. Eyes alight. "N-No one... Lo... Lo..." he stuttered, getting it out quickly but dragging the name the second time as the glare only intensified.

 

His hand dropped from Sam's cheek, the glare dropping to reveal the sadness apparent in Lo's eyes. "You didn't call me either..." he observed childishly, defeated.

 

Hating that face, that voice, he caved, "It was John, my Dad. It was him, okay?" Sam would stop talking completely if he pressed on the topic, so Lo simply waited for Sam to continue. Under the intensity of the man's indifferent stare it didn't take too long. "I asked about what he did for a living... about mum, Mary, why she died, what happened, what she was like... And he sorta blew up at me."

 

Taking in the meaning behind his words Lo replied, tone fairly harsh, "So you left the motel, mid-morning, with a backpack full of god knows what to god knows where right?" On seeing Sam's reaction he sighed, his tone unlike John's but his words all to similar at the moment for the kid. He changed tact, "Look, all I'm saying is you shoulda called kiddo..." he paused, "I've got a place nearby if you want somewhere to sleep tonight, that way you can tell Dean you're safe with a friend. You know he'll go crazy otherwise... Whadya say, Sound good?" Eyes brightened at the offer, surveying him for any sign of trickery only to be met by the man's trademark smirk as he moved back into his own seat, "We've got more hot chocolate," he bribed on the way, dragging out the last two words for effect. A boyish smile joining Lo's eyebrow wiggle, in something he guessed was an innuendo hiding in those.

 

"Okay okay, yeah, hot chocolate sounds good." Lo smirked to that, watching the boy lick his lips moment after at the thought, soon clutching his mug up to his lips, chugging the chocolaty liquid down until all that was left was small dollops of sugar and melted dark chocolate. Turning his nose up at the reminisce he placed the mug back onto its coaster, turning his eyes up and catching Lo's amused smirk through his overgrown bowl hair cut. He must of finished his drink too while Sam was preoccupied with chocolate, figures. He watched as the man resigned himself to leaving, drinks complete and followed him away from the table.

 

"No tip?" Sam asked bemusedly, following close by.

 

To that Lo chuckled, leading Sam to the door and replying as he walked through, loud enough for the bartender to eavesdrop on from a mile out, "Not to a bar that just watches while boys are assaulted... No matter how good their cocktails."

 

He smiled to that, following Lo out to the parking lot and watching the door click shut behind them.

 

 

 


	4. Take Me Away

"Get on!" Lo beamed, straddling a dazzlingly new cherry red motorbike and revving the engine to show her off a little, his other hand holding out a plain white helmet resembling a bucket. "Sorry kiddo, don't usually have extras." He was glad Sam didn't realise he was pulling this all out of his arse, the motorbike created out of thin air by the time they had reached the door handle, otherwise this little tinge of humiliation wouldn't have slid under his radar. If he had known Lo would have missed Sam's cute, embarrassed smile accompanied by the blush rising up from his cheeks, the prospect of wearing a bucket on a motorcycle both annoying him and amusing Lo to no end if his expression was anything to go by.

 

To his credit, Sam graciously took the helmet, pointing out Lo's lack of and moved up to the bike when Lo shrugged it off. "How do-" he stopped himself, the smirk on Lo's face cutting him off, fuelling an affectionate irritation to form in his tone, "Don't look at me like that."

 

The man chuckled, lifting his hands up in mock defeat, "Hey hey, its okay, all bike virgins have trouble."

 

"I've said I'm not a-"

 

Lo cut in, anything but mockingly "You're a virgin Sam. Plain and simple. Nothing to be ashamed of. You'll get to that when you're ready big boy and with those Winchester looks you'll knock 'em dead." After a wink and a few moments pause, he continued, "Now listen up, swing your leg over the bike, pull both up off the ground and hold onto me. Its a twenty minute cruise so no falling off. And absolutely no letting go. Okay Sammykins?"

 

The boy huffed, muttering _"It's Sam"_ under his breath but followed Lo's instructions to the T with an instinctive nod. Wrapping his arms around Lo's waist and clasping them together when they met, he turned his head to lie flat on Lo's jacket, waiting for the engine to roar alive. "Can't go too fast kid without the proper kit, so it may be a long twenty minutes... Hold on." Sam could just head his wink as Lo's baby purred, jolting into action as Lo lifted his leg, flicking up the stand and setting their ride into motion.

 

Grabbing on tight as the vehicle reared onto the road, Sam yelled for Lo to slow down, to that he would slow for seconds and rev a few short times, shooting forward with renewed speed. After a few minutes though Sam learned to deal with the speed, relaxing his grip and simply enjoying the ride. Smirking, Gabriel listened to Sam yell, the thrill of the ride taking over not long after they hit full speed. He'd never sounded so happy, not on any of his visits, not since the phone and even then that was years ago. _He wanted to hear more._ Veering off onto one of the local main roads he joined for just long enough to go  through a straight lit tunnel for a couple of minutes, picking up a little speed and thanking father their was no traffic in here at almost three in the morning. Focussing out some of his grace he disabled the cameras in the tunnel, assuring they wouldn't get pulled over for committing god knows how many offences and added some extra speed into the bikes limit for added thrills. Once complete he listened as Sam howled his excitement, clinging onto him a little tighter with every passing light. _Yeah, he definitely could get used to this._

Eventually though he had to turn back onto side roads, pulling up beside a large building of flats and flicking the bikers stand back up for dismount. Smirking, he waited for Sam to move but the grip around his waist remained firm. Their bond had never been so tight. One long inhale brought Sam back to life. "Woah" he exhaled, his grip loosening slowly.

 

"Yeah," Lo's smirk remained, pausing for a moment before pressing comically, "Off."

 

"Oh... Right." The boy nodded, lifting himself off with one hand on the seat for support and then stepping aside, watching his protector do the same. "Not a bike virgin anymore," Sam smirked boyishly, bating Lo's similarly cheeky smile.

 

Shaking the smile of his face he chuckled, changing topics before he stared at the boy for too long. He'd hardly had the time to do it in the bar but something about seeing the kid highlighted by dimmed and flickering street light couldn't be compared against the darkness of the car lot or the mood lighting of the pub. Back there he was too pumped full of his own personal cocktail of protective bond related thoughts and adrenaline to just stop for a moment and look. Though here in the simple street lighting he stared unreservedly. He had light brown bowl cut hair, ruffling out in layers now and again and avoiding his eyes by only a inch, if not less. His eyes were brown but not a perfect brown. In the flicker they resembled that of a yellowy hazel, only retaining their darker colour by the edges and mixing in with electric streaks of green-blue or mild orange now and again. Through that was only under direct light, like his mothers, the light had its own special way of altering their eyes into practically every colour if hit just right. He'd grow up to be a looker. That much was certain. Seeing Dean shoot up only assured him Sam would do the same. His dark jeans, washed out blue polo shirt hidden under his trademark dark purple jumper with a blue hood and cream jacket just to top it off only proved this point as they already fought to meet the ends of the kids limbs.

 

"Err...Lo?" Sam asked, snapping him out his daze.

 

He shook his head for a second time, supplying a sheepish smile as way of apology, "Yeah sorry kiddo, must be tired." The boy accepted this explanation and followed as Lo led him into the large building that stood behind them, missing how his face turned darker on the way in. _He could of lost Sam today._ Over zealously he flung the door to the side, dragging the bike behind him and waiting for the elevator. It was a squeeze, but with the bike in first, forced horizontal, it had been a jigsaw for the other two. In the end Lo had turned Sam around with ease and plastered the boy's back to his chest, hands protectively on his shoulders straight after the button for the eighteenth floor had been pressed, refusing to let go. Sam noted this floor had to be the top floor of the building, misusing the key required for the nineteenth, which he guessed was the roof or some from of maintenance as this building didn't seem like the kind for a penthouse suite.

 

As the metal doors swung open Sam was the first to notice the lack of rooms. It seemed there were only three doors, one to the left, one directly in front of them and one to the right. "Straight ahead," Lo answered before he had thought to ask, dangling the keys in front of him and turning to dislodge the bike.

 

Sam stepped out, taking the keys and noting graciously the room number 1801, the one to the left 1802 and the right 1803. Lifting the keys to his sights he fiddled with the keys, noting the abundance of keys Lo had managed to collect around this large ring. Four seemed to be a tarnished copper colour, the others varying between worn out bronze or shiny silver. This clump in particular caught his attention, even more than Lo fighting his bike out of the elevator before the doors demanded to close, these keys were labelled with each room number on this level with the last copper key engraved with 1900. Ignoring the obvious mistake he took the key to the door and slitted it in, tussling with the lock for a while, much to Lo's amusement and then swinging the door wide open.

 

Sam would have gaped if Lo hadn't been gauging his reaction. The place was big, massive really compared to the space if the elevator, the entire city, which Sam had been unaware he was on the outskirts of, shone through the glass wall on the side of the room, lighting the snug cream carpet, glass table and marble kitchen worktop with flashing lights. On the wall as he came in were marks at where Lo's bike had obviously been leaned often. Pictures of the man also littered the side walls, often with a mass of others, notably a dark haired man with light eyes and a similarly mischievous smirk Lo had often devised while around him, all surrounded by wooden frames that complimented the streaked coffee-gold wallpaper. _They must be related._ Others included a darker man, dark hair, eyes and skin often somewhere in the background of his pictures with a similarly dark man, taller than the first and seen with lighter skin and eyes.

 

In another corner an overly cherished photo with the largest of the frames caught Sam's attention. In the photo stood Lo on the side, the same common customers in the other frames blurred at the back to make room for an otherwise serious looking boy with dark ruffled hair and blue eyes, the seriousness taken out of his face as Lo had him lifted into the air, dangling over the water moving in to lap at the other man's toes. In the very same picture, other children surrounded Lo in an almost perfect circle, these included a red head little girl with hair down to her hips, a small, rather chubby kid on Lo's shoulders, definitely enjoying himself and three other boys, all rocking varying shades of blonde. Labelled underneath in a caption saw the letters "M, R, L" sectioned off from the remaining few letters, "C, C, A, G, B & S". These letters obviously made no sense to Sam but with the care they were written out with, it was obvious they meant great deal to Lo. 

 

There was no inch of mess anywhere apart from on a single one if the red pillows, on the second black sofa, facing another with a glass table in between, paralleling the glass wall. Littered on the glass table were wrappers from an enormous assortment of sweets centring the room. The sofa however housed a curled up dog of white and black patches at its ears, a house dog at best since no marks appeared on the carpet but no less lively if the pictures where anything to go by. Sam just stood, and surveyed the place. To his surprise he gained no comment from Lo, instead the man hauled his bike into the room, leaning it on its normal patch of wallpaper and closing the door behind him, accidentally jostling the fur ball to life. Sam's features brightened slightly, the life of the dog leaking into him as she lifted herself, stretching out and jumping down off her perch to meet the new comer. Sam turned to meet Lo's smile, "Make yourself at home kiddo."

 

Moving past him and his bounding dog he poured milk into two mugs, moving to take coco powder out from one of the wooden cupboards just in his reach before continuing, "If you're not ready to sleep we can go upstairs for a while, make camp, s'mores maybe?" he chuckled at Sam's frantic nod, missing the part about upstairs fairly well. Thankfully his dog had him preoccupied as he created some marshmallows for himself to pull out of the cupboard, acting it out as if he were prepared. 

 

"What's... her name?" Looking down to the bounding dog, Sam dropped himself down to his knees allowing her to lick his cheeks and chuckling as she overpowered him to Sam's surprise, forcing him to fall back while also allowing her to occupy his now open lap without permission.

 

"She replies mostly to whistling or Lot... personally I named her Lotty, but seems she has inherited my love for a little healthy defiance... I'd stick to Lot if you want on her good side." The phrase 'healthy defiance' sounded weird out of his mouth, a sort of well rehearsed excuse you'd hear an old man practise to himself into a mirror at night before bed or after a nightmare but the smirk on Lo's face called for him to ignore the irritation with which the words flew from his mouth and instead, smile softly back. Lot it was then.

 

"How do you even have time for hunting with a dog around?" Sam asked intrepidly.

 

Creating the mugs of hot chocolate to perfection with an added square of chocolate to melt into the liquid itself while in the microwave, he shrugged off an excuse, switching 'hunting' for 'baby sitting the Pagans' instead, "Part retired from all that jazz Sammy and anyway, the fam comes by now and again and looks after her if I don't... Not that she'd even notice me gone."

 

Placing one mug in the microwave after the other he let Sam bond with Lotty, the petite dog curling into him like he's been away from home for far too long and not the other way around. It made him smile. After all he was having similar suppressed thoughts after all the contact on the way, lifting him to a new sort of high he'd not experienced in a thousand years. He should probably look further into this bond...  "So bed or s'mores kid?"

 

"S'mores!" he startled Lotty awake.

 

"You'll need her up then," Lo chuckled, turning back to the second ding of the microwave and pulling both mugs into either hand.

 

It took a moment to snap Sam's gaze off of the yawning pup and onto the mug being handed to him. "Thanks but I don't think that'll be so easy" he smirked, stroking her fur lightly from head to tail, noting she only seemed to enjoy the treatment between her ears and three quarters of the way down her back, on top of the usual belly rub or tickle under the chin, anywhere else was strictly off limits. Lotty wasn't too old but she wasn't a pup either. Her size was rather deceiving as her strength seemed to rival that of a German Shepard runt or a dog at least twice her size. Like Lo, she was not to be underestimated.

 

Lo grew an almost devilish smirk, filing that as a challenge. "Sure it is!" he set the mug down on glass and stood beside one of the sofas. "Watch... Lot." Lotty instantly lifted her head, shaking the need to sleep off with a wide yawn before giving off a weak whine, resembling that of a grouchy teenager answering their parent mid-morning. "Lot." he reprimanded, dragging the name out and wishing she could roll her eyes like Lotty obviously wanted to... maybe he'd teach her to later. Taking her time she lifted off Sam's lap, graciously stamping her hind legs over to Lo before jumping up onto the sofa and curling up again just like before. "See, pips!" he announce triumphantly to the room, taking back his hot chocolate.

 

Grabbing the marshmallows as Sam rose to his feet, patting his jeans down with one hand to remove the fur left by Lotty only to be cut off as the hand was clasped by Lo's, sending electricity though him as he's dragged off and shooed into the elevator, hot chocolate threatening to spill the entire way. "Hey! Slow down!" 

 

 

 


	5. Hush Little Sinner

Inviting him up to the roof was probably the best idea he'd had yet. Sam didn't seem even close to prepared as the metal doors slid open to the paradise Gabriel had created for himself. 

 

Some time after the building had been created he had bought it for this simple idea, creating a perfect home for his guests here when necessary, freeing his other homes around the world up for other devices. Spanning from the elevator entrance the roof was decked with a pathway of wood leading to a quarter of the roof, sectioned off from the rest. In this corner the roof, two mattresses were covered in plastic and held down by boarding at each corner. In-between the head of both was a lantern, completing their L shape. Centring this corner was a hole in the decking, surrounded by metal and containing the reminisce of a fire from only days before at the most.

 

Flicking a switch by the wall, Lo stared as Sam's mouth dropped. On the edges of the wooden boards were Christmas lights of fluctuating white leading around the corner also lighting a lantern beside each bed before leading around into a garden, surrounding the rest of the roof with colour and light. As one light went on, the one next to it went off and every so often a new pattern would set in, illuminating green grass in one corner, the remaining half of the roof doused in the colour and vibrancy of an abundance of various flowers, covering the section like a rainforest.

 

Sam finally stepped forwards, taking it all in as he turned on the spot beside the camp-fire spot. "Don't stare for too long Sammykins, you'll hurt yourself," but the voice hardly registered. He continued to stare, taking it all in and holding himself back from running free and exploring the place properly. He was too tired to now anyway. Once Lo had uncovered the mattresses from their protection he pulled out blankets and small cushions from underneath each, tossing them down on both beds before taking his seat on his, sipping from his hot chocolate patiently as he waited for Sam to do the same.

_His Sam..._

 

Honestly, he could of landed worse. So far Sam had been little hassle in comparison to his kids or angelic brothers and sisters for that matter. Cam seemed to be one of those book-worm, quiet types. Intelligence followed suite, his adaptively drilled into him through Winchester routine, though his kindness and the compassion the boy seemed capable of were all down to him.

 

He loves his family, all of them, like Gabriel himself. Sam, though, was willing to assert his independence when he disagreed with them, no matter what. That's where he and the boy differed. Gabriel had always ran instead of standing his ground but then angelic pissing matches were often much more outweighed. Still, Sam standing up to talk to John was like Gabriel to Michael or Luci and he had to commend the kid, even if it seemed a little stupidly reckless for his tastes, he was well versed with courage.

 

Sam questioned. He questioned life, John and would never follow anything blindly, his stubborn cautiousness simply not allowing it, though he didn't doubt if someone where to rip apart the things he loved, Sam wouldn't sacrifice himself in a heart beat. _Stupid, reckless little Sam_. Of course he would. Though even with all the madness in his life he still believed in the good in the world. He seemed to search it out like a match to a flame, looking for the good in everyone, even in people like John or that creep back at the pub, he always found a way.

 

More interestingly though Gabriel, or Lo, had discovered Sam was a believer a while back. Somehow the boy had maintained faith in a higher power, even now. Though Sam's open mindedness could land him in trouble if he were to mention too much about his siblings. No, around his sweet little Sam he was Loki, trickster and brother to the power-happy drinking blond with the hammer.

 

 _His Sam?_ No stop it. He's just Sam. Sam Winchester. Sammy to his brother. Hunter to be, Lucifer's vessel, under the protection of Gabriel and blissfully ignorant to the destiny written out for him.  It was plain as day Sam didn't want to be a hunter, but we all know how it goes, destiny comes to tea and screws us in the arse, that too was plain and simple, it was going to happen, sooner or later, one way or another it would happen. As long as Dean remained a hunter with their father, Sam would eventually fall into the family business whether he liked it or not... That wouldn't stop Lo from keeping an eye on him though. Quite the opposite in fact. He'd have to keep tabs on Sammykins, even if from a distance, they were tethered now and even when he brought himself to try, he couldn't hate that little fact.

 

He wouldn't admit it to anyone but he was beginning to become glad he was tied to the boy. It would probably result in hell in the future, quite literally thanks to his birthright to the apocalypse but he couldn't care less. He was destined for Gabriel long before Michael had altered his family lines. He would have been born later down their family lines if not by John and Mary, either way, an angels mate is destined to be born, time or circumstance never mattered that much where Father was concerned. That's probably why Michael had been able to alter the Winchester line without repercussions in the first place. It was obvious Dean was also destined for an angel, it was right there marked on his soul but since his sibling didn't make him or herself known he knew they were probably unaware, their bond destined obviously milder than what he had with Sam.

 

It was likely to be Casey to be honest with the way he acted after each visit with Sam and the shape of the familiar faded markings on Dean's soul... but he'd address that later. That could wait. Right now, he just wanted to enjoy the time he had with Sam. Once Sam had found a school he would only be able to watch over him, maybe announce himself now and again but with school being his only salvation form the hunters life, however small of a hope, it was worth stepping back a little and letting him attempt at it.

 

That was all fine with him. Sam's personality fit with his like a long lost jigsaw piece, yeah sure there were a few rough edges but they'd do in time, after all it was destined... but Lucifer's vessel? Luci could forget it. He wasn't taking Sam. Heaven or hell, he didn't give a rats arse, Sam would be safe with him. He was _his_. His soul was tied to him. If he were to complete the bond the kids soul would follow him after death. No way was he letting hell at him. A fully sealed bond would keep him completely safe, even remove that stain of demon blood coursing through him. He could keep him safe and happy. Obviously when Sammy here gets older he'd have to mention the terms of a bond with an archangel, but at the moment he was Lo and with a part so good, he had every intention of playing it for all it's worth. No angel crap today.

 

Snapping out of his thoughts he returned hunched over on the mattress, staring into his hot chocolate. Thank god the archangels thoughts had raced though his mind otherwise Sam would have asked questions by now, instead he had only just turned away from the Christmas lights illuminating a small section of bordered off sunflowers. "You gunna sit down at any point tonight?" Lo asked with a light hearted tone, shifting a little to make his way to the edge of the mattress, making space for Sam and patting the perfect spot for him to come join. "Grab some fallen branches and we can start the fire now if you'd like."

 

"Uh... Yeah!" Sam excitedly exclaimed, moving out of his way to grab twigs and broken branches from all parts of the roof rainforest, checking every but of wood to see if the bit inside wasn't still green, they'd want to avoid a smoky fire. Once he had enough dry wood he returned back, finding Lo had already brought out some Vaseline, cotton buds and a pocket knife, a cherry red lighter half poking out from his pocket. Sam grabbed the knife from beside Lo, dropping the wood down where it had once been. Plopping himself on the mattress he began to cut down the large chunks, soon setting up the wood in a tent shape with Lo's cotton buds in the middle. The lighter was a only slightly dangerous, Lo wouldn't let Sam light the fire though, once he had pulled back Sam closed the gaps in the burning wood with a few more strips, thankful for the lack of breeze up here tonight and carefully nourishing the flame until it had fully developed with help from Lo.

 

"Well well, seems you're a master at this kiddo," Lo praised, holding out a marshmallow in reward, "Where'd you learn all this?" he asked, generally intrigued.

 

With a shrug Sam shrugged off the question, muttering "Family" before gingerly taking the marshmallow from Lo, a blush flashing over his features as their fingers touched, sending uncontrollable signals of safety though him, relaxing his otherwise tends posture. The day had exhausted him. His desperation for answers, John's outburst, the creeps blustering display and Lo returning after so long, letting him ride on his bike and now; now he was here in Lo's house. Or rather his version of a back garden, sitting beside him on his mattress making s'mores. Honestly he hoped this emotional roller coaster would reach an end soon or he'd end up with whiplash. Instead of focussing on that he gave up watching as Lo moved back onto the mattress, bringing his legs up no where near gracefully and crossing them in the direction of the fire.

 

Without permission he slumped beside Lo, dropping his head experimentally onto Lo's shoulder, taking his fairly black s'more away from the fire and nibbling down on it, expecting some sarcastic comment any time soon. But it never came. Instead Lo ate his s'more, passing Sam another marshmallow and dropping his stick to his side this time instead of joining him. Lifting the hand previously in control of the stick he smoothed Sam's hair with sluggish speed, obviously deep in thought. That worried him. Sure Lo was a family friend. He said he was never mentioned thanks to a screw up with John while on a case back in the day, he never seemed to want to mention it so Sam never asked. To be honest Lo never seemed anything but despondent on the subject of his past with John, though after his constant little catch ups with him and keeping him intact when he needed him, like tonight, Sam allowed him this little wrinkle in information, he owed him that much. In fact he owed him much much more than that.

 

What was more worrying about it though was that Sam now relied on Lo, both for emotional support, protection, guidance... _Love_. It sounded weird sure, but being around Lo just felt _right._ It was still a fact though that Lo could kick him out at any time that worried him, maybe he'd decide to just not show up again, dealing with his absences had become straining enough for Sam before but with complete abandonment always an option on Lo's plate, he always attempted to stay well in the mark, never stepping a single toe out of line. He had his number yeah but that was no guarantee.

 

Honestly he had begun to think Lo had no intentions of leaving. Even he could see the pattern in Lo's visits. The pattern, was him. Sam's level of emotional response to a stimulus obviously dictated whether Lo decided to join him or not. His working theory was psychic. No instincts could be that in tune. He wasn't sure what scared him more, their easily comfortability or how he just _knew_. Even when justifying it to himself it was difficult to explain so he let the silence do the talking instead.

 

"Mary... Mary was a smiler. Her smile was infectious... She'd always smile... and sing... She'd sing to you boys all the time, beautifully... The usual rhymes for kids, sometimes some religious stuff now and again. She wasn't a religion nut... I remember she would tell you boys angels watched over you...and not just that one on the bedside table... Mary cared for everyone, would never hurt a fly. She was so beautiful, inside and out. Her hair was golden, eyes light blue, sorta like the reflection of sun on water... You boys would tire her out sometimes but she was always gentle, sarcastic and sassy yeah, would threaten to kick you outta the way if you were a nuance but it would always be John who'd back his threats... she'd just laugh it off..." Lo paused, continuing once his courage had caught up to him "She loved you... You, Dean, John. Even some of us sorry saps in the background... You and Dean were her world."

 

It had been out of nowhere, cut off his thoughts completely. Sam had shot up instantly, turning to watch Lo talk, shocked silent and staring intently, taking in every detail he could gather from him. Lo didn't snap his eyes from the fire, focussing instead on his wording. He didn't mind. Instead he kept still, never moving an inch though out Lo's speech and waiting for the final line to move. "She didn't deserve the end she got."

 

He didn't sound too attached to his words. Sam thought that best. The boys eyes were red. Lo had just told him everything John couldn't. In no way did it make up for it but god it felt so good, just knowing something. Dean had talked about her once or twice but it had been fleeting and hardly in much detail, he preferred it that way, though Dean had managed to fill in the details about Mary's death fairly abstractly after a nightmare once, since then they had avoided the topic. Somehow though Lo had been able to just come out and say it, slowly but perfectly. Only now did Lo's eyes float towards Sam and he hadn't been sure how it happened but promptly after Sam had ended up wrapped in Lo's lap, holding onto him like a lifeline with his limps circling around the man and hands scrunching the chest of his shirt.

 

But Lo didn't question it, he just softened the boys hair again in comfort, hoping to ease the tension in him with both that along with the reserved touches from his grace, accepting his meek thanks and noticing him slump into the hug after a while. He couldn't press his luck with his wings, true voice or grace just yet, but in very small portions he was sure Sam could handle the little boaster.

 

Untangling himself from the boy as he slumped a while later, he lowered Sam onto the mattress, placing his head down into a pillow and covering him in blankets.

 

Drooping eyes met his and Lo smirked, his sense of humour ever present. "It's okay kiddo. You're safe... and I'm here. Go to sleep."

 

And with that, he did.

 

 

 


	6. Do The Angels Have A Home?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From this point on chapters will be added a fair bit slower, lost a few chapters while editing... whoops ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ but I'll try to keep the story going at reasonable speed.
> 
> Any ways... Hope you're enjoying it! :)

Sam woke to the faint buzzing of his phone on the hard wood decking beside his mattress. Groggily he swatted his hand out for the phone, grabbing it on the fifth attempt and lazily answering it. Pressing the phone to the side of his face, he pushed the blankets off of him and sitting up on the mattress, cross legged. Sunlight seemed to do the garden a few favours, the entire roof was now lit without the need for extra lighting. It was a rainforest of a garden, colours everywhere with plants of all shapes and sizes. At some point, the plants had been watered, the decking dry as bones along with the covered ash reminisce of last nights fire suggesting it happened manually. Lo was no where to seen, his blankets still arranged in a cocoon, as if he were still inside but his makeshift nest was empty, probably downstairs in the apartment.

 

Through the phone could only be heard some ragged breathing. It sounded like Dean and that bothered him. Dean was obviously worried, he could tell from the speed of his breathing. Oh... Oh he had forgotten to call. _He was so stupid!_ No wonder Dean was worried, he had probably gone out of his mind! What could he say? He had to talk yeah but he had no idea how to start. After a minute, he listened as Dean remained silent, probably listening intently and from the amount of missed calls, just happy he had answered. It had been hours, god he'd slept through most of the morning too, longer than he had in so long.

 

Part of him was ready to hang up, annoyed he hadn't backed Sam the night before but with everything that had gone on he knew Dean was doing all he could, expecting too much from him was purely unfair. "H-Hi," he faltered, finger hovering over the red button for his own reassurance.

 

"S-Sam? Sammy?" he sounds shocked, relieved and its sickening. He shouldn't have forgot.

 

"Yeah, its me-" but before he could continue in his calm tone Dean cuts in.

 

"Oh thank god. Where are you Sam? You disappeared after Dad- You okay? You safe? I'll come get you... just, say where, I'l come get you," he beseeched, still slightly panicked but talking himself down at lightening speed.

 

"Dean, I'm fine. I'm- I'm at a friends- one of Dad's old friends places. He found me nearby, took me to his place and he's looking after-"

 

"Dad's friends? Who the hell are you with Sam? Any fucker could say he's met John and he's met alot of crazy sons of bitches too Sam, he could be anyone, heck, anything! I thought you knew better Sammy, I thought y-"

 

"Don't call me that!...Don't call him that either. He's good Dean- he's great- and if you don't trust him trust me. He protected me! Looked after me!"

 

"So do we!" he paused, the calming breaths he was forcing upon himself echoing through the phone.

 

"I'll be back t the motel before sundown Dean, don't wait up," he grumbled, half hissing out his name and hanging up the phone straight after, leaving it on the mattress as he gathered himself, grunting as he rose shakily to his feet, shouting taking it out of him. Moving sluggishly, still half dazed by sleep he took the lift down, trudging out and into Lo's living room on a quest for food. At some point last night Sam had lost his shoes and socks, jacket too, so the floor wasn't so welcoming to his bare feet, wood scratchy and elevator cold but once on Lo's carpet he relished the feel, unaware of how soft everything Lo had seemed to be. Mattresses upstairs, the sofa, the carpet floor even, last night he had been too tired to notice but it seems everything in Lo's apartment is unnaturally soft. God he loved it. The whole place was a pillow, Lo too. If he wasn't careful he might never want to leave. If Dean were here with him he'd probably do just that, but it wasn't ideal. Dean would always follow John, his perfect son, he'd never listen to Sam about this... But that didn't mean he couldn't come back. He had his number and he seemed to like Sam enough... enough to want to help him when he needed it, maybe even enough to let him stay for longer... No, that was childish, he already had a home, a family, he wouldn't abandon them.

 

He couldn't help himself from hearing the echoes of Bobby Singers voice, one of his common phrases pulsing through his mind, _family don't end with blood boy_.

 

Lo appeared from what Sam suspected was his room, letting the door close by itself after him. He was in the light blue jeans with a new simple grey shirt, both well worn in by the slight grass stains on his knees and the various small cuts on his clothing. Dragging his coat from last night behind him, he threw it onto the sofa right next to Sam's jumper and jacket from the other night, making the sofa a makeshift coat-hanger. "Kiddo! You're up!" he man smirked his familiar smirk, brightening Sam's mood in seconds as he came over, stopping inches in front of him and ruffling his hair. He leant into the touch on instinct, smile appearing as he caught himself. "You hungry?" Lo asked, both his eyes and tone becoming darker, deeper, contrary to his smile.

 

Nodding back, he noticed his body heating up, the back of his mind not responding as happiness fed through to him from some unknown source, melting away partly as Lo took to the kitchen, grabbing a pan from a low drawer and pulling a bowl of pancake mix from the fridge with butter. "Wanna come join me Sammy?" he beamed, obviously in a great mood for some unknown reason.

 

Not denying that smile, he released a laugh, forgetting about Dean, John and home for now, instead moving over to the counter, admitting, "I've never... I'd mess up pancakes. Dean always did them so we'd actually get stuff to eat."

 

Turning the gas on and placing the pan on the stove Lo chuckled at that, shaking his head and turning to meet Sam's gaze on the other end of the marble. "I'm a good teacher," seeing his disbelief and reluctance he added, "Come on! No one can go through life without learning to make pancakes... I'll go easy on you, work our way up to flipping them, kay Sammykins?"

 

Quickly turning back around he started up the pan, throwing in some butter and oil before picking up a ladle and sinking it into the pancake mix. Taking the invitation Sam moved closer, verifying, "Sammy, not Sammykins" and watching Lo's movements from his side.

 

Lifting and turning the pan, spreading the oil and butter, he soon lifted the ladle and added the mix too, spreading it across the pan fully before setting it back down above the flame. Moving to another cupboard he grabbed two plates, placing them on the marble off to the side and childishly replied to Sam, "Kiddo, Sammy, Sammykins. What's the difference?"

 

"I like two of them," the boy huffed, watching as Lo checked the sides of the pancake for sticking to the pan.

 

Turning back when satisfied, he replied, "Oh yeah?" grabbing onto Sam's hand he pulled him over to him, moving behind him until they both faced the stove, returned into the position they had found themselves in while in the lift, pressed closely together but he didn't think to question it. "I'll remember that," Sam could hear his smirk instead of seeing it, his body language switching from snarky to unyielding behind him as he murmured, "Time to learn kiddo."

 

"Grab the pan," he commanded delicately, almost purring the words and placing his hand on top of Sam's, guiding him to tentatively flip the pancake, shuffling it back into place when it wasn't so centred.  All too suddenly the room was boiling. "Success!" Lo announced.

 

As Sam's smile grew in both confused embarrassment and excitement Lo smirked, taking his hand from the kids and readying a plate. Sam got the point, shifting to turn the pancake onto the plate. "You can start the next one," Lo broadcasted, covering the pancake in Nutella from one of the top cupboards and cutting it up with the same knife so he could pick each small piece up with his fingers. Grabbing the first piece, he turned to see Sam, bewildered and ridiculously cute as his lips moved to try to form some sort of plea for assistance.

 

Taking pity on him he lifted the pancake piece to his mouth, speaking in the same gentle commanding tone he had used before. "Open." After some deliberation Sam agreed, opening his mouth and taking the pancake with a smile. Grabbing onto both his arms just below his shoulders he assured him, "Come on kiddo, I'll teach you, okay?"

 

Sam mulled it over, surely he could take off at any time, get home through lifts if necessary, he had the address but with Lo here he felt so safe, wanted. _Yeah, he could do this. He'd probably do anything for this._ Snapping back to reality, he stared back at Lo, realising he wanted confirmation and nodding curtly. It wasn't much but it seems to be more than enough for Lo. Taking the ropes, Lo instructed Sam every step of the way, finishing his pancake slowly with Sam, feeding him pieces of their first as they attempted time and time again to make the perfect pancake.

 

Now and again Sam complained at his lack of skill during the process, telling Lo constantly he should probably take over but while faced with that persistently determined smile he pulled together after every whine, continuing until he had created the perfect pancake. He was unsure of how the mix had withstood his trials without so much as a dent in its size but after that they seemed to have enough for a few pancakes between them which Sam ecstatically plated only for Lo to top in honey, various sugars, chocolate and banana slices in varying ratios for each one of Sam's products.

 

Cutting up each pancake and feeding Sam pieces before they got too cold, Sam found by the time he has made the last pancake with the remaining mix he was entirely full and so left it to Lo instead. Happily he noted Lo didn't question it, instead he took the food, demolishing it just as Sam had wanted and joining him in the washing up before they both ended up on the sofa, Lotty taking Sam's lap for herself. Momentarily he glared,  _Jealous bitch,_  stopping the instant he noticed Sam's knowing smile.

 

The city looked so much better in the day. Glass windows flooded light into the room, steadily keeping Sam from drifting back to sleep, much to Lo's entertainment. "You know you can go back to sleep right? I'll just drop you back later or something." Lo offered, rising to make them two drinks, their personal favours, a pineapple and apple juice, then returning to place the apple juice in front of Sam. "Spoken to Dean?" he asked, taking his seat back on the sofa opposite him before the boy had much chance to reply, one ankle resting on his other leg and pineapple juice in hand, taking small sips.

 

"Yeah... I have to be back before it gets too late," Sam provided.

 

"Best not get on the bad side of your brother already huh kiddo?" he changed his mannerisms from casually relaxed to serious within seconds, placing his pineapple juice down on the table between them, "Tell me when and I'll drop you back, we can set off whenever... but... er kiddo... Can you call next time things-?" As Sam huffed, telling himself he could look after himself Lo stopped, his tone hardening along with his eyes. Gold razor sharp, "Sam. That creep could have done anything to you... What if I wasn't there?! No one was stopping him! He would have taken you out to the parking lot, abused you, stole from you, raped you, left you there defenceless or maybe even kept you! Overpowered you and locked you up! Set you up as a child prostitute! The bastard could of done anything! Anything Sam!"

 

As his anger grew Lotty jumped off of his lap, getting out of their way before World War Three broke out. Sam leaned back into his chair, allowing Lo to burn himself out before moving again. Amber eyes stayed fixed on Sam, emotion spilling out of them in bulk and leaking into him. "Lo..." he breathed, unable to find the words to say back to that. It didn't matter for long though, Lo appeared in seconds, as if disappearing and reappearing right there in front of him, dragging him up into a searing hug and placing all the emotion in that instead.

 

Gabriel's wings had long been out, encasing Sam in gold and pulling him in tight to his chest, refusing to let go. "You dumb Winchester's will get yourself killed... You call me Sam. I don't care what it is, you need me, you call me and I'll come find you... Always... Okay?"

 

 

 


	7. Like Sugar

Lo had dropped him off later that day, taking all the time they could out and about beforehand. He'd taken then out to the city with the bike, locked it up at the first opportunity and dragged Sam around the city. Taking him through markets, stores and lying their way up to the top of one of the skyscrapers, producing enough cash at a snap to fill Sam up to the brim with champagne, sirloin steak and whatever other expensive sides Sam pointed to, whatever it was, he got it for him. Once finished they ran back into the rat race of the city, throwing themselves at everything, enjoying every second. By the time they had made it through the maze of market stalls Sam was carrying a bag full of shirts, most too big for him or destined for Dean instead. The smile on his face was unlike any other. It was perfect, blissfully happy. Later on they ran through the city centre, jumping into the line of fountains and play fighting for a while before breaking off the warpath and into an oversized library once his shirt had stopped dripping, grabbing a book on Pagan lore while there, amusing Lo to no end for some unknown reason. As soon as the sky began to fade into an orangey colour, Lo took Sam's hand, taking him back to the bike much to his dismay. He had spread the day out as long as he could but even he couldn't escape time... without a little angelic assistance that was. He had decided though, he was Lo with Sam, that meant no angel perks and no pagan ones either...Nothing too big anyway. Just Lo. Reliable, lovable, loyal Lo.

 

Pulling up a block away from the motel, Lo abruptly stopped the bike, apologizing for not being able to take him closer, in case of Dean or John, only to be cut off by Sam plastering him into a non-negotiable lion hug. Gratefully grabbing the bags full of items Lo had spoiled him with at the last second and playfully punching his shoulder, only to have Lo ruffle his hair in return, teasing him at what a weak blow it was as he left.

 

Soon after Sam fell into the family business.

 

That meant no showing up, no popping in now Sam could wise up to the convenience either, he had to hold back and keep in touch through other means. It wasn't anything special, every so often Sam sent him a message, usually one to do with hunting so he could get some sort of hint or information for the Winchester gang, but it definitely wasn't nothing either. John was closing in on Azazel more each year, though with the way things were going it was obvious he had only patterns to show for his attentive observation and it would take years until those patterns would come into play. 

 

He watched the year the brothers had at school, disguising himself as the school janitor and dropping a strawberry lollipop into his desk each day. For that entire year they met after school for no more than an hour each week, each time with more fleeting conversations about Dean, hunting, home, John, Mary and some of Lo's life too. He'd let slip about his brothers and sisters, keeping their names out of conversation or switching some of the details of his main family members such as for Cassy, Luci and Michelle, all of which were female versions of his brothers, just to throw Sam off the scent. At some point Sam had asked whether 'Lo' was really his entire name and for some added fun on Gabriel's part he supplied Sam with his fake full name 'Lorenzo Brown'. At least it wasn't 'Smith'. In fact, Gabriel could have a fair amount of fun with this set up. Maybe he should get a moustache too... Lorenzo Archangel of the Lord. It was so brilliant he could hardly contain himself. Though it did make him sound like a gay pile of feathers dressed in a swooshy golden robe, where anyone who was anyone knew Gabriel was pan-sexual with absolutely no care for fashion sense whatsoever. Along the way they had also spoken briefly of his Pagan family, advertising them as his adoptive family after their parents left, though explaining why only he had been adopted out of his family members was a completely different nightmare to lie his way out of. Mostly he had described Thor, Chronos, Zeus, Kali, his Ex, and Fenrir, as his son who he hadn't seen since god knows when. Honestly, Fenrir had been locked in the Pagan's cage for thousands of years now as some blind bat spewing prophecies had entailed his son bringing on the end of the world after eating Odin. He had to admit Odin was annoying and definitely deserved the chomp but he knew his son. He wasn't capable and anyway, he loved Pedigree chum much more than arrogant deity for dinner. Compared to any old angel Odin could do little damage but to an archangel like him, he'd be defenceless. If only he knew. Now that would be fun, almost as fun as trapping Ganesh in elephant form and riding him down through town. Maybe someday he'd take Sam to Asgard, let him braid Thor's hair and create all manner of mischief in Odin's land. 

 

Every visit began with them sitting on the floor of one of the unused rooms in the school that day, a note slipping its way into Sam's desk once a week when these opportunities arose. Every time without fail Sam would drop everything and go meet Lo instead. Every day they met Sam spoke about life as a hunter, each time his desire for a 'normal' life only increasing and at the end of every meeting, without fail, they would end up wrapped in each other, dreading the ring of Sam's phone that signalled his family beckoning him home again.

 

After a while Gabriel had found more control in the bond, noting as long as they both had steady emotions at each touch the bond would only fluctuate so much and the closer they became the more obvious each mood of Sam's became. Like reading his mind without the need to find the words. Though he knew that as demons and creatures came closer to Sam and Dean that they were edging closer and closer to the foretold apocalypse, though as long as Luci staid plastered in his cage they still had hope.

 

One visit particularly stood out from the others, the last week of Sam's enrolment a teacher kept Sam behind to talk to him about his paper on a werewolf hunt, the same week he had met the Kitsune Amy, encouraging him to pull away from the family business, carve out a better life at a university and maybe even become a lawyer. After this Sam sent Lo a message with his phone, leading him out to the field behind the school and intercepting him as soon as he had made it to the end of the field were a line of trees shading the metal bars surrounding the school. Allowing Sam to drag him down, Lo sat down in the long grass of this shaded zone right underneath a tree, curling himself around the overgrown boy as he sat between his legs, Sam's head in Lo's shoulder. Hushing him softly, he smoothed his hair, keeping quite as soon as Sam had calmed down. It had obviously been a long week.

 

"I'm not going to see you again am I?" the boy asked despairingly into his shoulder, hands coming up to dig into the fabric of his disguise.

 

"Not for a while kiddo," Lo admitted, curling his arm protectively around him, "You're not getting rid of me completely though." Sam huffed on a smile and Lo continued, "I'm a call away Sam. Even if you just want to talk. I'll pick up."

 

"Promise?"

 

"Yeah kiddo, pinkie swear," he smirked that ever familiar smirk, his tone boyish and light-hearted for the sake of the mood.

 

Sam pushed away from Lo so he could look him in the eye, “Every time?"

 

"Always idiot," they both beamed, holding each other tightly.

 

They sat there in silence for hours, watching the school lights flickering on and off between rooms, teachers and students alike leave the place to go home one by one and the sun inching closer to setting with each waking moment they spent wrapped up there. He wasn't sure how it had happened, maybe he hadn't been paying enough attention but as soon as Sam's phone went off in a ring, something clicked. In seconds Sam had dislodged himself from Lo, spinning to sit on his lap and staring directly into his eyes, beseechingly. Placing one hand on his shoulder, the other sliding onto his cheek, holding it in place Sam pressed his lips to Lo's forehead. "If... If I don't see you again... Thank you Lo," he whispered, only meeting his eyes once said.

 

Keeping his eyes fixed on Sam, Lo went to talk, to tell him that this was definitely not the last time, he wouldn't let it be, that he'd drive around the country to see him again. None of that came out though. Instead Sam's hesitant lips hovered directly in front of his, frozen there momentarily, fishing for doubts before pressing lightly onto Lo's.

 

Within that moment, his grace released itself from his control, mapping Sam unreservedly, marking his soul further as his, reaching out to shroud him in static energy to fog his mind and forcing a groan out of him at grace to soul contact. That section of Gabriel's mind which had connected to Sam's emotions opened up, streaming happiness between them like a bullhorn taking over any other coherent thought. Bringing his hand from Lo's shoulder to the hair standing on edge at the back of his neck he snaked through it, egging Lo on to take his hips, steadying him in his lap and kiss him all over again.  _Mine._ Sam pulled away only seconds later, eyes wide compared to Lo's darkened. Did he just say that? Or did he imagine it? Sam thought of stopping, Lo was obviously older than him, a fair amount older too, after all he had a son for god's sakes but he didn't seem to want to and neither did Sam. 

 

 _Oh no you don't._ Lifting Sam up off him, he pressed the boy's back up against the tree they had been sat under. "You want this?" Lo clawed himself back from shoving his tongue down the boy's throat, making sure he was okay with this, that they were okay with this. But damn how did Father manage to make the boy taste to sweet? He'd barely even gotten a kiss and already he was craving more. Sam ran his teeth other his lip, lifting his hands to the back of Lo's neck, Lo keeping one of his hips, the other on the back of his neck to lock their eyes, questioning.

 

Once Sam had nodded, Lo pressed his lips against the boy's, nibbling at his bottom lip in order to kiss him properly, sucking on Sam's tongue in order to pull a moan out of him. Gabriel growled, pressing him harder against the tree with only his own body, his hands staying put on the back of his neck and hip, Gabriel concentrating immensely on keeping his hand still. He could kiss Sam, really kiss him if he wanted, but he was too long for anything else, continuously while drawing moans and shuddered out of the boy he reminded himself of this little fact grudgingly, allowing his thumb to rub up against his bare hip in circles, no more. 

 

He could feel the heat crawling up his neck, as if he were a teenager again. He had to stop. He  _really_ had to stop or he'd never let go but oh, the way Sam's tongue tentatively tangled with his, almost divulging in wealth of sweetness that passed between them, shyness disappearing as he got the hang of the situation, fighting him for dominance in the kiss. He tasted just like sugar and it was intoxicating.

 

Pulling away panting, Lo's head fell onto Sam's shoulder, Sam's falling similarly back against the tree. Once they had both caught their breath again they chuckled together, pushing off the tree but remaining plastered together. "You'll be the death of me kiddo," he cocked his lips into a half-smile, tone leaking elated mischievousness. 

 

Sam's phone rang again, effectively separating them in an instant. Shooting an apologetic look to Lo he answered, calming Dean down on the other end as he pressed the importance of being home for another hunt before they left without him. Appeasing him quickly, he assured him back there soon before hanging up and shoving the phone irritatedly into his pocket where it could be ignored. Taking Sam's hands Lo lazily danced him back into a good mood, pulling him in for a peck before going to see him off. 

 

"You'll come find me right? When I get into Uni?"

 

"Course!" he assured Sam with mock offence before turning deadly serious "Look kiddo, I've got a place in every other state, literally, if you need somewhere to crash I'm always open for business... And... err... I was thinking once you had found a good uni you'd-"

 

"Stay with you?" Sam asked, shocked and over joyed he'd even offer.

 

"If you're up for it! That way you don't have to be stuck in one of those stuffy little rooms with weirdos annoying you all night long, I'll still annoy you all night long but I was thinking you'd enjoy that more" he smirked, wrapping his arms around Sam in a final hug.

 

Before leaving, Sam smiled, radiated off content warmth, “I’d love that...I'll see you soon then."

 

They drifted apart slowly, after that day Sam went back into his normal routine, moving from motel to motel as an amateur hunter and finding himself too tired to reach out to Lo again. Now and again while stuck he would contact Lo for information, otherwise, they began to lose touch. Right up until some point after Sam's nineteenth when he ran away from home.

 

 

 


	8. Asshole Father

It's a bright June night when the letter is stuffed back into a blue backpack, enclosed by two changes of clothes, a large water translucent bottle filled to the brim with cranberry juice and inexpertly defaced with black sharpie, displaying the initials S.W. surrounded by multiple different doodles. The backpack doesn't sit well on the tall man's shoulders; it seems too childish in size for his frame, taking up a third of his back and broadcasting the age of the fabric with its wears and tears pulling the zip to sit in an awkward-almost-closed position and barely giving enough support on the straps to keep it from complaining against duct tape at every step. It's pretty far from here to the next bus station, the road dragging on for miles through deserted lands and toward a meek town. If he made it there maybe he'd find signal, tell Dean he was okay, get directions or at least plan something. All he knew was is he wanted to go to Stanford, he really did and no one was stopping him.

 

Taking a swig from his bottle he preserves as much as he can, thankful when the sun sets, mirage less believable in cooler temperatures and walking more bearable. He should have brought sun-cream, put a second layer on while out here. Too late now though. As the sky faded from orange to blue and darker until it had painted itself black Sam brought himself closer to the realisation, the sensation of freedom. He was free. Free to make whatever choice he wanted, whenever he wanted. He could be somebody. Anybody. It was all up to him now and it was the most brilliantly terrifying feeling he had ever felt. Once by a farm he fell into the barn, happily noting the farmer seeing him and waving it off, allowing him this courtesy until morning when he came to his senses. For now though he could wrap himself up in the blankets there in the barn and lay in hay, staring up at the stars carelessly dotted without need of explanation beside the moon.

 

_Get out! You walk out that door and you never turn back you hear me?!_

 

Normal children would get a smile, a hug or a celebration to letters like this, opportunities like the one Sam had earned with sheer dedication but to his father it was nothing more than an insult. He had to do this, why couldn't John just understand that? He needed to find his own way out here, to be himself not some soldier like Dean, the hunter's life wasn't cut out for him, he couldn't do it but this, this could be all his, he could have everything he ever wanted. He could find a house somewhere, find a girl and live out forever as a lawyer. He could have children. Watch them run and play all day and all night. They could have normal lives, just like his and enjoy it all without wondering if the next time they go to work would be their last.

 

He wasn't angry and he wasn't sad. He was numb. He could have everything he had ever wanted. Maybe even call Lo up when he found some signal, take him up on that promise they'd sworn to each other years ago under that maple tree. Maybe he'd see Dean again someday. Maybe, just maybe he'd be a Winchester again someday, if they'd ever accept him back as who he was. No, maybe's didn't matter any more. It was the road ahead, getting to Stanford, that's all and only one of those maybes could help him with that.

 

He tucked into the blanket, covering his body as best he could with the fabric and releasing a half sigh, half chuckle when as he had expected it only covered so much, leaving below his ankles chilly. Counteracting this with his back pack he sank into the blanket and hay combo, smiling contently as they retained his body temperature, making for a fairly relaxing bed once he had pinpointed some of the pointer strands of hay. At some point in the night a stray dog joined him in the barn, creeping in slowly with his head down, edging towards Sam slowly through-out the night before lying beside him for heat and humanly reassurance.

 

During the night he revisited the argument, vividly remembering the motel inch for inch as wood, waste and work plastered across the walls in a trail to John's desk. They had been staying there for a while tracking down a local pack of werewolves and almost complete doing so by the time the letter arrived. He'd been so excited for the letter, running round on the hunt in a good mood for days on end until the day before when he realised what this letter would do to them if it were a yes. Then the letter was slid under the door, John starting at the noise and going to investigate.

 

*  *  *

 

"Sam!"

 

It was a loud yell, one neither of the brothers were ready for at seven in the morning. "Get out here."

 

The boys turned to each other, gulping simultaneously. "What did you do?" Dean whispered, hurrying to get himself up and ready to face John's wrath.

 

"Think I know?" he replied sarcastically, still not out of his morning daze as he answered the door, instantly being dragged by the collar and slammed against the wall. Once of John's paws remained on him, the other holding up a blurry piece of paper.

 

"What's this?!"

 

Rubbing his head Sam groaned, turning his head to the side in an attempt to work out the meaning of the paper but giving up after a second, his mind still not awake enough to place together the severity of the situation. "Can I get a hint?" he asked boyishly, not giving John the satisfaction of any sign of faltering in his expression.

 

Throwing the papers to the ground they both ignored Dean as he attempted to calm their father down. "You're not going to Uni Sam," he states steely in his no-questions-asked tone of voice he often uses on Dean while commanding his perfect little solider. Well no thanks. They'd play this the hard way if they had to.

 

He's no soldier. Especially not one of John's "Like hell I'm not! You don't get to decide!"

 

"Guys-"

 

Dean was cut off as John pushed back off of Sam, throwing his arms up and yelling back, "I'm your father boy and you'll treat me with respect!" He attempts to lower his voice, become the good guy in all of this once again but he knew either way Dean would stand there, watching and Sam, all for fair play, would hear him out while he had the floor. He had their attention no matter what and he was fully intent on using the floor for all it was worth, stamping his dominance on the boys. "You're not going, you're staying with us and doing something with your life. You don't have any damn time to do school work, your work is the job. People die every day Sam and we save them. Together. As a family. Or have you forgotten that?"

 

"We were still a family back with Mom! Then you didn't seem to mind but now- now you're obsessed with that demon. You'd do anything to kill him. And you think she would of wanted any of this for us? For us to drive around aimlessly as warriors in your twisted battle." He snarled back, the family play hitting him hard. He knows he shouldn't but he can't hold it back any longer, words are aimlessly flying out of his mouth now without permission. God did it feel good though. He'd push all he had to if John would put him down to it, Stanford meant masses to him. It means freedom from John and Dean's shadows. Freedom from the family business. Free to live a life of his own away from the dictatorship and constant pressure put on him by them. The endless fighting, hunting, researching, training, pressure and for what? He was sick and tired of this endless loop. This meaningless life. He sure as hell wasn't letting anyone, especially not a broken man like his father, tell him how to live his life. It was his! So if John wanted to play it the hard way, fine but this time he was pushing back.

 

"You shut your mouth!" John shot towards him, hands tempted to slip around his throat but instead flying to above Sam's shoulders on the wall behind him, their faces inches apart and the room quickly reaching boiling point as a result. John was madder than he'd ever seen him before, eyes burning bright with unmistakable rage, the sort of rage he often saw cross his fathers features, though never quiet as concentrated as this outburst. He was livid. "You have no idea what she would of wanted! I tried the best I could with you boys and you're just going to abandon us?! You're an insult to her memory Sam," he snarled, pushing away in disgust at the end of his sentence, his hands fiddling in recognisable anguish. Without Dean here he probably would of taken him for a few rounds by now but good old John was always shy when he had an audience.

 

"An insult? You took up the job that she gave up for our family and kill in her name, after that demon like a rabid dog for a bone. If anyone here is the insult it's you!"

 

Oh he'd done it now. In seconds John had lunged at him, his fist connecting with Sam's face and Dean only just holding him back as he went for a second punch. The pain was immense, the side of his face bright red and his eye watering, only just missed when he'd attempted to avoid his father’s blow. Dean was shouting but he couldn't focus on the words. Half of his vision was blurred and it was having a knock on effect on his motor skills. Leaning back against the wall much more pressingly now he leant forwards, pulling his head into his hands for a moment to stabilise himself.

 

"Sam!" John bellows, still immobilised by Dean's grip, "Get out! You walk out that door and you never turn back you hear me?! Your last chance," His voice is steadier than before so he knows he's telling the truth, John wants him gone.

 

"No! Sam he doesn't mean it! He doesn't-"

 

"I mean every word," he spat, fury at a steady level below his words and words barely containing it, "You pick Stanford or your family, you ain't gettin' both."

 

Sam stares, a deer in the headlights and blood pumping through his veins. He can't just leave his family but...  _You know what then John, you want me gone so bad?_ Turning away he stepped back into the room, grabbing the already backed bag intended for their hunt and repacking it full of the essentials, throwing it over his shoulder without a single consideration for the batter bag, adrenalin still flowing strong. Trudging back through the main room he headed towards the door, bypassing John who didn't bother to lift his head and Dean looked up at him in confusion, the realisation dawning on him that his baby brother was actually leaving, not just blowing off steam in his room, he was really going. "Sam- Sam what- you're not leaving are you?"

 

"Yeah Dean, I am," he didn't look him in the eye, afraid he'd meet the heartbreak echoed through Dean's voice. It felt like betrayal. Leaving his brother here, alone with Dad, hunting but Dean was meant for that life. He enjoyed it. Sam wasn't meant for this at all and he had decided on Stanford. If his family couldn't deal with that then he'd leave.

 

John huffs dismissively, "Don't let the door hit you on the way out."

 

Ignoring Dean's extra whine of shock, his stare burning a hole in the back of his head, he sighs. Turning back for a moment he met Dean's gaze, his eyes trying so hard to project his thoughts.  _I'll miss you. I'm sorry. Be careful out there Sammy. You'll always be my little brother._ The look was intense and it had him winded, almost had him go over to envelop his older brother in a hug. Almost. Instead he focussed on getting out of there, not on how to say goodbye or to say any sappy last words because leaving was words enough. There were no words left said or taken back. All he could say Dean already knew. It was a no-brainer really, he couldn't stay with a family that ignored his needs, would disown him at a heartbeat and rough him up if he spoke out. So he opened the door and left.

 

The rest of the day had been moving from place to place, focussing on getting everything he needed to survive together and finding his way to Stanford, on a mission. Walking out of the motel was basically like walking out into the middle of nowhere in an instant, there was no signal, that was the first thing he checked but up ahead was a set of signs, helping him separate East from West and heading West, the next town only a few miles out and small by the looks of the sign but signal was everything to him.

 

_"Look kiddo, I've got a place in every other state, literally, if you need somewhere to crash I'm always open for business... And... err... I was thinking once you had found a good uni you'd-"_

 

Yeah. He could really use signal right now.

 

*  *  *

 

Before morning he woke slowly, coming to leisurely and noticing the dog, charmingly nicknaming him Bones after his lack of food consumption. Bones woke too as soon as he started moving. Licking the boy’s face affectionately he shook to his feet, barking at Sam as intensive to do the same. Bones seemed friendly enough. Once packed Sam got back onto the road and followed signs towards the town. Bones followed him the entire way, pinching some of his water at regular intervals and barking every time his tummy rumbled. Cursing himself for not packing more snacks in similar intervals. Half way through the first hour of walking they were out of water, bottle barren with their surroundings. It was going to be a long day.

 

The sun beat down on him the entire time, sun cream now definitely useless and skin uncovered complaining at the lack of shade surrounding the long straight. After three or four hours straight walking though he was met with a farm, leading on to a diner further down the road. Bones barked towards it excitedly, pushing through the door ahead of Sam and talking his seat on one of the sofa seats beside the window in shade, happily wagging his tail with his tongue out, demanding service. Sam chuckled, taking out his phone and noticing a bar of signal flickering between one and two.  _Oh finally._ Food first though. Ringing the bell unenthusiastically he ordered steak, mac and cheese and two massive jugs of cool tap water then fell into the sofa seat, sinking down into it without a worry in the world.

 

Once the water had arrived with a makeshift bowl for Bones in the form of an oven dish. Thanking the waitress he poured water into the dish in front of Bones, grabbing the second jug and downing enough water to make his head feel heavy, his boy, heavenly. He'd never underestimate water again. Every inch of his body loved the hydration, tingling in appreciation as it cascaded though his system.

 

Grabbing his phone he flipped it open, finding Lo in his contacts and calling him right there and then.

 

 "Hey kiddo."

 

 

 


	9. Writing On The Walls

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back story from Gabriel's view~
> 
> Sorry to string it out, needed to get the details sorted before we continue ;P  
> You'll get to meet Fenrir soon though! Promise x
> 
> Really ill while writing this so I hope that doesn't shine through -Ani

Gabriel never really heard from Sam for the next four years. He was all over the place, motel to motel, hunt to hunt. Sam's dreams of a normal life were in tatters, each hunt dragging him further down.

 

He could almost hear Luci tweeting away from his cage now, thoroughly thrilled and ready to ride his older brothers taxi up to the land of the living to start their grand fight. 

 

His brothers had always been fighting.

 

Michael was the older brother, the protector. He wasn't difficult to pin down. He loved his family. He cared for every single angel out there, guided them before and after Father left, none more than Lucifer, his beloved baby bro. Those two would play together as little fledglings for days on end, testing out everything, learning and growing up together, inseparable. Michael raised Lucifer as if he were his own, like Dean with Sam, his love for his little brother was limitless, pure and unconditional. Much like Dean though he wanted to be the 'good son', the soldier. His unequivocal belief in their Fathers commands found him against the notion of free will, believing that everything is a choice not chance, that everything is decided by someone, no matter how small or insignificant. Watching the boys grow up only highlighted these similarities. Both Dean and Michael had swallowed their fathers orders without fail, doing everything they had ever asked without ever once questioning their orders or asking for a single thing in return. Both of them had lifted their little brothers onto pedestals, allowed them to explore and question where they would dare not. Both would do whatever they could to do the right thing.

 

So when The Big Daddy arrived back home with his new hairless apes and called upon his angels to bow down to them, Lucifer was less than impressed. Lucifer had been replaced as the forefront of God's affections by what he described as flawed, broken and murderous monkeys. Faced with this situation he became increasingly more prideful, rebelling without a second thought and going to Michael for support, who instead undertook the order to outcast his baby brother from Heaven in disgrace.

 

Angered beyond belief and desperate to his core to prove himself, Lucifer bypassed Gadreel at the garden and corrupted one of his fathers precious humans, twisting the soul of the unsuspecting first wife of Adam into the creature known today as a demon in an attempt to prove to his Father just how corrupt his dearest humans truly are.

 

This wicked act landed Lucifer in his cage, Michael personally locking him there under the instruction of God. Returning from the deed, Michael went to tell his father of the success but returned to silence at God's table, not even the horsemen aware of their Fathers whereabouts.

 

Heaven was havoc but under Michael's steady stream of commands the angels found solace, their new reluctant leader taking shape. Some, however, remembered Lucifer with great glee, recalling him as a kind son to God, the angel who loved too much, was too prideful and honestly that wasn't so far from the truth. Michael plastered Lucifer with the blame for God's abandonment, refusing to believing anything else.

 

Gabriel could see why his brother had to be treated so harshly. Lucifer was the example. He had to be punished severely so that other angels would not think to join him but that didn't mean he had forgotten the good times. Far from it.

 

Like Sam Lucifer would speak his mind, something the other archangels would often be lacking in, especially that of Raphael or Metatron. Lucifer was not wrong in his refusal to bow down to humanity, he shared the same opinion for them as Michael did before the fall. Not doing as his father had asked was simply his way of expressing his opinion. 

 

 _"Father...I can't," he paused, almost choked, "These human beings are flawed, murderous!"_

 

He wasn't wrong either. Humans were capable of anything. Murder. Arson. Rape. War. Torture. You name it, humans could do it. The one thing his brother should have been supplied with on that day was understanding, forgiveness, a chance maybe. There and then their father had the perfect opportunity to turn round and tell them, show them that they were more, capable of so much more, to allow them to see their beauty, blinding and fleeting against that of an angels.

 

Maybe forgiveness was just _too_ human.

 

Instead Lucifer was cast away. That perfect picture of him and his siblings plastered in the hallway taking on a much darker meaning.

 

He remembered a time back in Heaven when his brothers pranks were the talk of the angels, when he and Lucifer would take off from Michael and plan tricks or help teach the younger of the intended seraphs to fly or achieve minor miracles by themselves. Michael and Lucifer were always the closest of archangels but otherwise, he and Gabriel had a rather potent relationship too. Lucifer's fall had been anything but fortunate for Gabriel. Once he had left and created the first demon, Metatron fled in order to protect the word of God before Michael could return to retrieve it from him, Gadreel had been imprisoned for his crimes and Gabriel had left, unable to deal with the constant arguments between his siblings, carving out a new life as the Trickster.

 

Honestly he was immensely lucky to even find the gig. By the time the Pagan's Loki had rallied against Odin back in Asgard, Gabriel was quickly gathering control of his grace, learning to conceal himself with ease. Loki, the original Loki anyway, was a devilishly handsome God, like himself, titled The Trickster and father to an entire family of his own. However once the truth had been uncovered on the death of Baldr, one of the Asgardan's own, he was expelled from Asgard, Odin later deciding to punish him by transforming his second son Vali into a wolf and misguiding him into killing his older brother, Loki's first born son Narfi. Gathering together the boys entrails they bound Loki to a rock, hanging a snake over his head to drip poison over him, for his wife to lovingly catch, until the end of days when the bastard should break free.

 

Poor woman should of just filed a divorce.

 

Explaining his predicament to Thor wasn't easy when bypassing the angelic parts. Though somehow the Asgardian council accepted the idea, adopting him in as Loki, the Trickster, as if nothing had happened and keeping his secret rather expertly under wraps much to his appreciation. Obviously Loki's children were also fairly aware of the situation once Daddy Mark 2 came rolling into town.

 

Since Jörmungandr, Loki's second eldest remaining child had also been fairly bluntly forced from Asgardian territory, it was up to his remaining children to whether they agreed with the presence of their new father or not.

 

The wolves, as Gabriel liked to call them, Vali and Fenrir were fairly okay with the situation, in fact once Gabriel had found a way to limit Fenrir's forever growing tenancies by encasing him in a human vessel, just like his, with golden binding rope at his wrists and ankles for good measure, Fenrir was delighted with his new father. Introducing his two children Skoll and Hati into the mix. For both his grand children he designed the same bonds in silver, transforming them into two raving rabid twins, who, more than anything, definitely loved to run, their only difference being eye colour, Skoll with dark brown and Hati with light blue. With the kids running loops around their uncle he only wished he could do more for Vali, though, unlike Fenrir, Vali he could easily make it out there as a dog if he put his mind to it, that is if not for his picky diet. He resembled that of a short-haired ginger Tamaskan dog rather than a coyote or the wolfish look he had been intended for.

 

The last two of Loki's children were rather indifferent. Hel, the ruler of the realm of the dead, was pretty much as he had envisioned before meeting her, an absolute kill joy. Winning her over definitely wasn't easy but with the good old archangel charm he just about managed to pull it off, taking weeks and weeks to drag her out of her half-dead shell before finally helping construct pranks with her on her brothers. Turns out she was just being spiteful, Loki hadn't been the most attentive father after all and she had expected no better from Mark 2, up until the jazz band of dead in the closet anyway. As for Loki's youngest son Sleipnir, he had obviously taken Odin's side of the argument hundreds years before hand, never finding any massive connection with his father and less than motivated to do the same with his fake one.

 

That left three, Vali, Hel and Fenrir, along with his two grandchildren.

 

It wasn't exactly apple pie but it suited him just fine.

 

*  *  *

 

"Hey... look Lo, I-I could use your help. I'm out on the road at some dinner... There are signs across the street; I was hoping you could... come get me?" It was a plea really, his voice cracking a little as he tested it out again, water only just beginning to effect him.

 

"Kid, I've been tracking you since you got five miles out of the motel," he replied gruffly but there was no point hiding it from Sam, he could hear his smirk from a mile off.

 

"So you can get here!"

 

"Uh...no. Sorry Kiddo I'm not close by..." he paused, quickly snapping his voice from reluctance to that of happy compromise "You remember Fenrir... I mentioned him before- My son?"

 

"Yeah, thought you hadn't seen him in a while," he stated, generally intrigued.

 

"Lots changed since you've been away Sam... Hey look, he's a few clicks over on his way to me now, you shouldn't be too far out of his way, want me to send him over?" he propositioned curtly, obviously pretty busy if he couldn't go himself.

 

"Uh... y-yeah, yeah please... Thank you." He faltered, overly grateful for Lo's offer and partially getting distracted by Bones tearing into his steak, one paw on the plate holding the meat still and the other on the table as his jaws snapped closed on a section of the meat, ripping it off the rest and whole-heartedly swallowing the massive mouthful.

 

"Don't sweat it..." Noticing his distraction Lo's tone switched tone from flippant to playfully steely. "And don't you move. He'll be there in five." Bones had reached the end of his steak, leaving only a clump of meat left. Clamping his teeth on the piece he threw the piece in the air and manoeuvred to catch it, chowing down happily when it landed in his mouth. What the-? "Five minutes Winchester," Lo affirmed as he was met by silence.

 

"Five minutes," Sam echoed, Bones barking in agreement as if he also had a say in the conversation. Before he could ask what car to look out for Lo had hung up, tone far too pressed for time for his liking. What was he playing at? As far as he was aware Lo had always had time for him. Back when he was a kid, each time he and John ended up at each others throats, at school and... the kiss. Maybe he was just being silly. No, of course Lo had thinks to do, he couldn't always be with Sam.

 

He could walk back now, head hung low and beg for John to take him back. He could. But he won't. John would neither accept or deserve any bridges to reconciliation now. His apologies would be both insincere and unnecessary. Digging in to his mac and cheese he stopped thinking all together. Relaxing into the sofa seat he tried sorely to forget the look on Dean's face, John disowning him in an instant and instead drew in the curly pasta piece by piece, counting down the minutes in silence, almost forgetting Bones on the sofa opposite him, who seemed to understand his expression as a need for silent reflection without prompt. Maybe he'd keep Bones, that is if Lo would let him, if they had space for him with Lo and his son. _His son._ God it was weird to be reminded Lo had a son. The guy he continuously relied on throughout his childhood and kissed that one time was old enough for children. He really didn't look it but then the man never seemed to age. Lo was right though, a lot had changed since the last time they had talked, properly. He'd shot up, quickly settling to a few feet taller than Dean mid way though his teenage years and inching higher right up until a few months ago. Sam was no where near as innocent as he once was. He bet he'd dwarf Lo now. Though Sam wasn't so sure about strength, from what he could remember he'd had him held pretty tight against that bark-

 

Cut off from that thought he heard the diner door hinges whining, Bones barking towards the door happily as the man entered.

 

 

 


	10. Welcome To The Masquerade

Itching irritably at the rope bracelet on his wrist, he parked the beaten up, grey pick-up truck beside the diner, wrestling the keys out of the ignition before clambering out less than graciously and wildly slamming the door after him, leaving a dent in the door as it failed to close. _Stupid kid making him drive back on himself on the wrong bloody road just because friggin' Dad wanted him so bad_. _Who even is he anyway?_ Turning back to stare at the dent he sighed with annoyance, it obviously hadn't been the first time the truck had reacted this way under his treatment, patches of the truck showing signs of obvious need for repair or shabby prior repair doing little in its favour. It was more of a patchwork truck, 'well worked in', the complete opposite of one just off the market. Strangely though the truck showed no signs major of crashes across its exterior, only dents from areas of heavy contact whereas inside the back seats were ripped and covered in toys with the occasional animal hair, the front being its opposite, almost completely brand new misusing the abundance of missing dials or extras on the dash surrounding the stereo. The man mirrored the front of the car, well-shaven, muscular under his plain grey t-shirt and light blue jeans, his brown hair perfectly flicked upwards, moulded slightly to the right with style.

 

Resolving to leave the beaten up old truck to itself he kicked the dirt under his boots, trudging up to the door to release his angst against the useless hunk of aluminium on the way before pressing his palm flat to the door frame, setting the bell off as he entered.

 

It wasn't that much of a shock to see Vali already had the kid pinned down. Dad had probably sent him to find Sam too the second he got twitchy, go figures. After giving his brother a pat on the head as a way of acknowledgement he moved over to the boy, hovering above his table. "You Sam? Sam Winchester?" he cropped his irritation as much as possible, wishing instead he could grab him and snap Sam there like Loki could. He knew he wasn't being very friendly but screw it he hadn't seen his kids in days and the second he gets a day away he's called in by Dad-Mark-2 for a favour, to grab some unimportant human kid up from the middle of nowhere shitty diner, he had reason to be a little cold. 

 

Staring up from the rope to his eyes he wasn't overly shocked when the boy faltered, nodding instead as a way of reply before connecting their eyes. Brown on brown. "Lo send you?" _Lo... Oh look, Daddy's got a friend. How sweet._

 

Bones nudged him in a silent plea to be nice, seeing him biting his lip, almost egging himself on. Why the hell this worthless kid meant anything to Loki anyway? Why would he start off by introducing his father as 'Lo' and not 'Loki'? And why in hell did he drive back on himself for this? "Yeah. Names Fenrir... but then I'll bet you already knew that." He lifted his hand to the hair on the back of his neck in a show of open awkwardness and stepped back, signalling the boy to follow. "I see you've tamed Vali."

 

"Vali?" Sam wondered in confusion until he noticed Bones shaking his tail at Fenrir's side. "Oh... Right, Vali... Why was he all the way out here?"

 

"Probably Dad's idea." He resigned with a smile. Once stood up, Sam attempted to produce a similar smile but found himself too overwhelmed by the negatives of the last thirty-odd hours to manage such a feet. Noticing this Fenrir added with a little more sympathy, "Come on kid, let's get you home," before dumping enough money from his pockets to cover the bill on the table before Sam could and leading them both out of the diner, towards the pick-up.

 

Sam opened the door on the passenger's side, stepping in after Vali had jumped through and to the back of the car, content with lying sprawl across the back seats. "Look," he started, dropping his backpack into the front and taking a seat at the exact same moment Fenrir did, "It's not that I'm not grateful but...It's just-" he paused to close the door, doing up his belt a moment afterwards, "Normally Lo does this."

 

"I know," Fenrir feigned understanding, genuine sympathy in his eyes, "He sounded pretty down in the dumps about it too if that's worth anything..." He started the ignition, moving into position to reverse the car out and onto the road, "It's... just been a busy coupl'a days. He'll be glad to see you though." 

 

To that Sam smiled and that was it, for the rest of the journey Sam sunk into the seat in silence, telling himself over and over what's done is done, he couldn't change the past and once they had arrived, Lo would be there for him, like always, to make him feel better. Sam allowed himself to imagine what would happen when they finally arrived at another one of Lo's places. He would be there waiting, standing out in the rain maybe, the only rain they'd had all summer and they'd stand there in the cold, struggling to grasp onto each other for warmth. Later they'd run indoors, sit beside a toasty fireplace, wrapped up in each others arms, Sam cocooning around Lo, like he used to do to him when Sam was little and everything would be perfect. No family to worry about. No monsters. Just school and Lo.

 

Repeatedly his eyes drooped closed and snapped back open again, stuck between giving in to sleep and staying awake in case they drew close to their destination or the fairly friendly Fenrir turned out to be as odd as his fashion sense implied. By nightfall though even Vali had given in to sleep, the dog snoring away unreservedly in the back, rolling over time and time again as he kicked in his sleep, tail flapping every now and again at uneven intervals. "Mangy mutt," Fenrir stared at him through his rear-view mirror and chuckled light-heartedly, "We'll be there soon" he stated, as much for himself as for Sam.

 

That kept him going; He couldn't fall asleep yet, if he did he wouldn't see Lo. It had been years and now with the promise of seeing him again fast approaching there was no way he would be caught sleeping through it.

 

Parking up beside the three story house, Fenrir fell into his seat, just as exhausted as Sam apparently. Taking the initiative for himself Sam jumped out of the car before both of the others, sighing in gratitude once out in the cool air and quickly noting the cherry-red motorcycle propped up beside the entrance of the garage. _Lo._ He smirked boyishly, walking over and past Fenrir once the door to the house had been unlocked, excitedly springing into the house, ignoring Fenrir's laughter streaming out from behind him. It was another big place, the house itself designed to resemble an old Victorian style home, painted wooden boards lining the outer walls and laminate wooden boards covering the rest of the flooring. On entry to the house there were four doors, one on the left to some sort of living room, one ahead to the basement and two more to a joint dining room kitchen area. Beside the first door a mass of stair cases led up to the second floor, covered in carpet which in turn had a second stair case, leading up to the third and final floor. Across the walls were more pictures similar to the previous ones at Lo's apartment, a large glass window shining moonlight down past the first staircase and onto the cream wall on his right.

 

"-even is he?" a female voice inquired, the noise coming from his left.

 

"Important," he heard Lo gruff in return, tone streaming annoyance on loud speaker.

 

"Oh come on, don't you play that bullshit with me. You wouldn't bring just anyone into this house. So spill, who the fuck is he?" She growled back, the voices obviously from the room opposite.

 

Lo went to respond but ended up being cut off by Vali, pushing at the slightly open door with his nose and bounding into the room excitedly. Fenrir closed the front door behind them and awkwardly placed his palm flat on his back, leading him into the next room.

 

"One Sam Winchester, just as requested," Fenrir charmingly beamed, pushing Sam further into the room in front of him, placing him dead on in the centre of the room before he pulled back, leaving Sam on his own.

 

Sam had little time to take in the room, the windows behind him, the fireplace off to his left and sofa's facing the television in the far corner, instead he watched as the girl previously shouting turned to him with indifference, studying him up and down with her pure white eyes. She was dazzling, her golden hair fell in waves down to her shoulders, her green dress hugging her slender physique perfectly. It wasn't long though until the shuffling behind her increased and she was being pushed aside by the entity in the corner of the room. _Lo._ Lo pushed her aside slowly, staring over to Sam for a moment before throwing himself at the boy, wrapping his arms around him as best he could and pressing his head into the boy's chest. Sam did the same, dropping his chin onto Lo's head and wrapping down his arms around him. He couldn't believe it had been four years, four years of endless revolving hunts and motels and now here he was, finally back in Lo's arms, safe. Home.

 

After a while Hel cleared her throat, prompting him to pull away. "Boy you've grown!" Lo smirked, his annoyance melting away while focussing on Sam instead of his daughter. Ghosting his thumb over the edge of Sam's smile when he didn't reply he nodded decidedly, taking his hand back and turning his attentions back to Hel. "I think we all need a good night's rest... we'll finish this tomorrow," he stated exhaustedly, leaving no room for discussion. Ignoring Hel's tut he instead grabbed Sam's hand, dragging him back out of the room and past Fenrir, who graciously offered him Sam's backpack. Taking it as he passed he dragged Sam up the sets of stairs right up to the third floor. Pulling a sleepy Sam through the door at the summit of the final stair case, he continued pulled him though into a massive bedroom, casually dropping the bag onto the carpet centering the room before pressing Sam down onto the bed at the back of the room, pulling both of their shoes off and propping himself up beside him.

 

"Lo, what did she mean?" Sam questioned tiredly, going to rub his eyes as Lo dropped covers over him, smiling in delight as he curled up into them.

 

"Shh, it's nothing... Go to sleep Sam," he purred the command, brushing the faint bruising on Sam's face. _So that's why his grace flared yesterday._

 

"Buh-"

 

He abruptly stopped brushing Sam's face, stating affectionately as if to a child and poking his chest once as he had done back when Sam was eight, "Sleep now. Talk tomorrow."

 

Lo rolled his eyes as Sam continued to ignore his comments, mind still running ahead of time. "Sleep Sammykins," he murmured sternly, smoothing Sam's hair until he limped into the bed beside him.

 

He smiled over to Sam, taking his hand back out of his hair and watching the boy's chest rise and fall at a steady pace, the kid's breathing deep and relaxed. All the muscles in his body were completely at peace, his face drooped innocently into the assortment of pillows at the head of the bed. This was Sam. Sam totally at peace with himself. Sam without a worry in the world. His Sam. And he was beautiful.

 

Sighing he fell back into the bed, thankful his children hadn't questioned his sudden sleep requirement.

 

_One human, five deities and an archangel._

 

_Gabriel was not looking forward to tomorrow..._

 

 

 

 


	11. Built For Sin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah... Um... 
> 
> Smut! xD
> 
> If it's not your thing you will lose nothing by avoiding this chapter ;)

Sam groaned into the covers, eyes groggily flickering open as his vision adjusted to the dappled sunlight, raining down in spots through the skylight and coating the room in colour. Turning his face back into the pillows he moaned, the sheer comfort of the undoubtedly memory foam mattress dissolving around him heavenly, reducing him to putty in its hold. Lifting the arm on the inner-most side of the mattress he reached out to discover if Lo was still beside him, but like he had imagined he would, his hand meet no resistance. Lo was gone. Sighing he lifted his arms above his head and into the mountain of various pillows above him, dragging both him and them closer, he ground his lower body into the mattress, his back dipping in contrast to the lift in his shoulder blades as he moved up the bed, finding his perfect position to laze about in for a while longer. "Mmm," he sighed in delight, his body singing with pleasure and his eye lids swooping shut ignoring the faint bird song, his perfect spot in the covers acquired.  _Surely another two- maybe three hours won't hurt?_

 

Cutting though his moment of perfect bliss, a cheeky wolf-whistle sounded from behind him, too far for him to turn and inspect the source. He was far too comfortable to bother. Not that he needed to. Only one person would be so charmingly childish like that. He'd only seen one other person enter this room and while Hel had the balls for it, that whistle was much too low to be from her mouth. "You know you're meant to be waking up, not staging a porno, right?" Lo remarked, smile evident but tone far too dark to be completely sincere.  _Was he enjoying this?_ Sam smirked, groaning enthusiastically into the covers once again, pressing for a reaction. 

 

 _That shut him up._  The boy's smirk remained, listening intently as he heard Lo sigh, feet shuffling closer until he was at the foot of the bed. Sam felt the bed dip under Lo's weight before he saw it, his face snapping to the side in an attempt to get a better idea of where the man was, only to snap back in embarrassment as he caught a split-second glimpse of Lo licking his devilishly lips. "Oh Sam," he sighed affectionately for a second time, the timid rocking of the bed constituting to Lo comically shaking his head. Next he pressed his palm down over on the other side of the boy, movements completely controlled, every second thought out. Stuck as still as a statue, he focussed  on controlling his breathing rather than making a move, showing no signs of how much this was affecting him, how much _Lo_ has affecting him. _Damn teenage hormones... and damn that tone._  "Sam, Sam, Sam," Lo continued, his tongue testing the name suggestively, moving closer to his ear with each mention and drawing another small groan out of the boy's mouth without his permission.  Taking that as his queue leaned in closer and closer, dragging out each hovering inch until he hung directly the lining of Sam's shirt, now clinging to his neck with sweat. "Man you look so good like this," he murmured, licking a stripe up the back of Sam's neck without reservation and sucking below his ear, flicking soft brushes of his tongue over the abused skin once finished with it. "Mmm, taste good too... you think I don't know what you're doing?," he whispered hotly in Sam's ear, a hint of a smirk appearing as the boy attempted to wiggle free in embarrassment, his body betraying him, as he dare not try push back too successfully. 

 

Their bond was alight, a buzz of energy surrounding them. Gabriel's grace propelled him on to taste Sam some more, to devour all he could, a drug addict finally reunited to his addiction and rearing an unearthly appetite. "Stay," he commanded before freeing the boy from his grip altogether, giving him the opportunity to shy away in case this was not what he wanted, no harm, no foul. Ordinarily Sam would have ignored any command given to him if not what he would have done himself, but now? Now he was so comfortable it didn't even matter. He had completely overlooked the fact he was being commanded and instead trusted Lo to give him what he wanted, what he  _really_  wanted. Sam's jeans were stretched tight, sweat trickling down his back and brow in anticipation as he controlled the urge to turn back, pin down the smaller man now and just shove his tongue down his throat, see how he moaned then. Instead he waited, Lo's weight moving to one side of the bed and then both sides of the bed, slowly seating himself on Sam's arse, pressing his crotch the mattress, offering little in way of pleasure as the mattress sank below them, moulding with the change and granting next to no friction. He whined, only encouraging Lo's smirk in return, his thumbs digging into the base of his back and below his shirt, riding it up inch by inch, until finally Sam reached back with irritation and pulled it straight off his back, throwing it down to the side.

 

Chuckling darkly, Lo leaned forwards, leaving a trail of feathery kisses up Sam's back painfully slowly. His thumbs rubbed firm circles into his lower back, continuously pressing him into the mattress with a string of groans, hips bucking as he went to drag his teeth down his back, teasing him mercilessly. "We'll have to go downstairs soon Sammy, they'll be waiting," Lo urged, mostly to himself, his hands drooping back onto the mattress as he lowered himself over Sam, dragging the fabric of his chest over the wet skin, buttons catching as he moved up just enough so he could lick the dip between his neck and shoulder, clamping his lips down on the sensitive spot and sucking firmly. Sam whined again, irritated by Lo's slow teasing and bucking his hips for a second time, driving Lo to bite down on the mark, pulling a hopeless moan out of the boy with a shiver, body falling apart with sheer  _need_.

 

"Hurry up then," he managed to supply the late response once Lo had pulled off the mark, hovering his teeth over the discoloured skin with pride.  _Mine,_ he reminded them both _, All mine._ He wasn't sure when Sam had finally tapped into his thoughts but now wasn't the time, instead he focussed on two things: his wings staying nicely tucked away, and Sam. Flipping the boy over with some of his angelic strength, he moved off his lap, unzipping Sam without a second’s hesitation and dragging his jeans down.

 

Looking up for permission, Gabriel hooked his finger in-between the waistband of his boxers, twisting his tongue for Sam to see, an indication of what was to come. Bringing himself to his elbows, Sam nodded down at Lo, watching the man drag his boxers own to his ankles to meet his jeans and releasing a sigh at the cool air on his raging erection. Humming his appreciation, Lo moved in-between his legs, remaining on his knees. Bringing his hands up from his knees Lo held one of Sam's hips down in silent warning, his other hand remaining on his knee as the trickster leaned down, running his tongue across the fleshy insides of Sam's thighs. Moaning incessantly, his body shivered, blood rushing straight towards his cock. Keeping quiet he focussed on the sensations being forced upon him all at once. Lo had now begun using the nails of his other hand to scratch red lines down his flesh, only to suck gently on the wounds afterwards, drawing whines and moans out of him he didn't even know he was capable of. Bucking up, his dick aching for attention, he voiced a whine, throat quickly becoming dry. Lo growled in return, nails at his hip digging into Sam, almost drawing blood, his final warning. His kisses instead turned into nibbles and bites, only making Sam want to buck up more, beads of pre-come dribbling from his slit. "P-Please, Lo," he groaned the beg, head thrown back into the mattress, his hips trying time and time again to rise against Lo's grip, hand's clutching tight onto the covers and so so very close.

 

Ordinarily he would drag this out, make Sam tell him what he wanted so badly and make him beg, beg, beg for his touch. But today was their first time and there was no way he would be so evil so early on, especially not when raging teenage hormones bounced between their bond, tripling his desire in parallel to Sam's. Taking pity on the boy, he lifted his head up from between his thighs, staring Sam directly in the eyes with mischievous pride and brushing the back of his knuckles up his inner thigh all the way to the base of his cock. Lo gripped the boy loosely, taking his time to lap up the existing beads of pre-come before sucking gently at the head, eyes locked on his, drawing some extra moans out of the boy, pulling back as he felt him draw closer to climax then pumping him slick and fast. "Oh god," Sam whined, struggling for breath between moans as pure white pleasure shot down his spine, making his cock twitch, beads of pre-come once again dribbling out from his slit. Gabriel chuckled hoarsely, ignoring the blasphemy just this once, twisting and jacking him off expertly, watching how his foreskin moved against his fist. Sam tried to warn him he was close, he tried, really but when he went to form the words he found his throat far too dry. Instead he cried out as best he could, voice audibly cracking as he released hot spurts of cum into Lo's fist, body drooping in pleasure, too dazed to watch Lo milk him for every last drop, soon pulling himself out from under his joggers and following along with Sam after a few strong jerks, painting his belly in similar squirts.

 

Dropping next to him, Gabriel sighed blissfully, snapping them clean without second thought. For a while they lay there, both catching their breath before laughing in unison, Sam weakly punching  Lo on the shoulder with a playful grin.

 

"No more virgin jokes?" Sam feigned innocence, smile remaining anything but and voice still catching on his words at random intervals.

 

"No more virgin jokes," Lo chuckled, giving off a final sigh before sitting back up, straightening himself back out.

 

"Where you going?" Sam asked intrepidly, stretching out an arm towards Lo and turning on his side, releasing a childish huff, "Come lie with me."

 

Standing Lo turned to Sam, shaking his head with a broad smile spanning from cheek to cheek, "Sam, Sam, Sam. What am I going to do with you?" Lo waltzed across the room, going to grab his backpack and throwing it to the side of the bed closest to the teens dead-weight. "Even though the offer is massively tempting I've got two angry children downstairs waiting for me. Both of whom also want to see you," he smirked as the realisation crossed Sam's mind, his hand snapping to his neck to cover the now purple mark Lo has left in his wake. Lo chuckled, trying his hardest to hide his pride before offering Sam direction, "Get changed, we'll get you some more clothes later... Pancakes?"

 

"Pancakes," Sam smiled with embarrassment in return, rubbing his neck softly before moving to get up.

 

"Wish me luck," Lo spun and muttered on his way out with a sigh, less than prepared to face another one of Hel's onslaughts today.

 

"Luck," He whispered, Lo already out the door by the time it came out of his mouth.

 

 _Did that actually just happen?_ Sam couldn't get the smile off his face. _Yeah, he was gunna like it here._

 

 

 

 


	12. Madness

Rolling over in the shiny green blades the two tussled in the sun, flipping over and over, their strength as equal as their looks, until one, mercifully, gave up.

 

"Ha, I win!" The brown eyed twin exclaimed triumphantly, smile plastered across his face even after his brother pushed him off.

 

"Barely," Hati glared, sitting beside his brother, cross-legged in the grass. Both appeared no older than six-seven, their skin fairer than their fathers, dark brown hair just covering their eyebrows in almost the exact same way. "Skoll," his brother whispered looking over to their father through glass doors, "He's doing it again."

 

For hours on end Fenrir had been opening notices, letters from all across the globe. At some point in the night he had littered the entire living room table, falling asleep once the surrounding floor had met the same treatment, forehead ducked between his arms as to avoid rope marks, destroying his well-styled look and clutching onto both halves of an angry letter in each fist, rippled apart a long time ago in iron hot rage.

 

"Surprise attack!" The boys shrieked in excited shock, golden wings unfurling from behind and curling around them. Giggling uncontrollably the boy's fell back into the feathers, pushing the six golden wings down until the three lay flat across the grass, laughing wildly. Moving in sync the twins rolling inwards to stare happily towards Gabriel. "Hey boys," he exclaimed jokily, face falling into a lopsided grin as he gazed between them both, "Miss me?"

 

Lifting his middle pair of wings he wrapped the boys up individually in a roll of feathers, bringing them in for a hug much to their delight and ruffling their hair now he had the opportunity. "Okay okay!" Skoll giggles, him and his brother attempting to wriggle free only to he rolled down off his wings moments later in opposite directions, both springing to pounce on his chest once free.

 

"Got'cha!" It was Hati's turn to giggle. Gabriel smiled down infectiously towards his grandsons, his wings scooping them both up and off of him before finally wrapping themselves around them protectively.

 

"Grandpa why is Daddy so busy?" The blue eyed twin wondered.

 

"Why is Daddy so busy?" Gabriel smiled earnestly, pushing the boys to face him with soft feathers before tucking them away. "Daddy has a lot of people looking to lock him up again."

 

"Like last time?" Skoll asked.

 

"Like last time."

 

"But you won't let them, we'll be there! Like last time, right Grandpa?" Skoll pressed again.

 

"They're not touching a hair on Daddy's little head, I'll make sure of that!" Gabriel promised, bopping the child's nose with a smirk.

 

"Why is Dad so sad then?" Hati interjected, eyes cast down.

 

Taking the boy's chin he lifted Hati's gaze up to meet his. Letting go once he had both of the boys attentions, his smile dropping. "He's scared boys."

 

"But Daddy doesn't get scared! He's an adult! Adults don't get scared." Skoll replied, confused.

 

Gabriel shook his head, "No silly. Really, adults are just big bossy kids... and we're all scared."

 

"Even you?" Hati asked.

 

"Especially me." To that the boys giggled and Gabriel smiled in return, waiting for them to recover interest before continuing.

 

"But... why's he scared?" Hati pressed, cutting off his brothers remaining giggles before they could escape.

 

"Because they want his princes as well," Gabriel paused, looking over them to see his son waking, Hel gliding past. "But you know what? They'll have to go through every last one of us." This time Gabriel didn't announce his attack, instead he lifted the twins, one in either arm and twirled them around, quickly creating a whirl storm of kicking, shrieks and laughter.

 

*  *  *

 

Storming through the living room, Hel groaned, ever-irritated, "Oh get up you lazy hound!" Honestly it was no wonder she had been chosen by Odin to rule over the realm of the dead, her personality as ice cold as the realm itself. Often it would take days on end for anyone to receive even a small smile from the goddess, though thanks to the overriding belief in Hell under Lucifer and his gang, instead of her realm, she found herself much more able to trap souls in her realm, using it as a vast cage for those better off out of the way instead of wasting her time collecting those odd few still favouring Norse beliefs and worthy of an eternity frozen in silence. Now she had much more free time and instead she took up her title as Death, or rather a close alternative to death, with a little of her own personal sense of humour. She wouldn't admit to it, not to anyone but Fenrir was certain that humour was a direct result of Loki, both now and then. Not that either of them had spent much time with their first father, both of them had been passed on to other Gods' care long before they could remember. "What are you reading?" she wondered, that oh-so-mischievous tone taking over as she snatched a random letter from the table, pushing past her brother and skim-reading for the important bits.

 

"Hel?" Fenrir groaned, rearing his head up from the papers, not yet completely alert.

 

"Yes it's me, who else put's up with you?" She rolled her eyes, throwing the letter back down in front of him. "They're not chaining you again, so stop moping," she commanded, her tone setting in older-sister-bitch mode, her body language following suite, hand setting over the transition of cotton to denim at her hip, her other hand signalling Loki inside.

 

The wolf sighed, rolling his shoulder blades lazily into place and stretching his limbs before sinking right back into the chair. "You weren't there last time."

 

Turning back she stared momentarily at her brother, then back to Loki who was approaching them as commanded and resigned to taking up the only clear space on the table, two or more metres down from her brother. "No. I wasn't... Either way, Odin wants you gone more than he wants you chained," she remarked as she jumped up onto the table, the wood taking her minuscule half-dead weight without a single hitch.

 

Fenrir sighed again, lifting his hand to his head and rubbing small circles into his right temple, "That meant to make me feel better?" Thankfully though his sister chose not to reply this time, instead releasing a small exasperated tsk. Moving up from his seat, he went over to the door, exiting the room in the search of their stockpiled human ibuprofen, just as Loki entered.

 

"I scare him off?" The trickster's smirk widened, spiking Hel's irritation to new levels. "Okay okay, I get it, time to talk," he lifted his hands in defeat, leaning up against the wall between the door outside and the other one onto the other rooms, ready to dart in either direction just in case.

 

"Who is he?"

 

"Sam Winchester, reluctant-hunter-slash-student."

 

Hel's irritation seemed to disappear, quickly being replaced by a knowing smile, "He doesn't know about you, does he?"

 

"Nope, to him I'm Lo, Lorenzo Brown, retired hunter," Loki supplied, holding back his eye-roll at that look.

 

Walking back in Fenrir was midway in between swallowing his last two tablets when the scent hit him, forcing the back of his hand to his mouth in order to keep him from doing a spit-take there and then. Loki turned his attentions to his son, along with Hel, a wolfish grin taking over his features while Hel's scrunched in confusion. Swallowing the load still in his mouth he walked over to the table as best he could, placing the half-full glass of water he had brought with him down onto the table and standing beside his sister in questioning their father. "You- and him-," the wolf brought his hand up, flicking a finger between Loki and the ceiling, representing Sam.

 

"Uh huh," Loki replied deviously, tongue visibly licking the ends of his top teeth for a moment, eyebrow flicking upwards, his smirk still very intact and his son's lopsided version soon following.

 

"But- you're not mated... how did you even-?"

 

"Keep my grace to myself?" Loki finished for him, tugging down his collar down and head to the side to reveal a mass of Enochian symbols written down his neck, shoulder and consequently his back.

 

"You sly dog," Hel remarked, a smile appearing on her lips too.

 

"So what... he's not just some boy toy. That's not your style." Fenrir pressed, eyebrows scrunched in confused interest.

 

Gabriel sighed now, caught out, eyes darting down and back up again. "We're... intended," he lifted his hand up to create speech marks over the last word, dropping them childishly to his sides soon after.

 

"You're big old angelic mate, the person your feathery ass is intended to spend forever with is a runaway kid on a quest for a college degree?" Hel scoffed, in no way phased by the look Gabriel was sending her.

 

"Try, Lucifer's one-true Vessel," he returned, less than enthusiastically, his glare slowly melting into inwards anger and finally deep sadness.

 

Hel sighed but nodded, now content with her knowledge, pushing off the table as she left in complete contrast to Fenrir, who instead was moving closer to their father, staring him straight in the eye with relentless purpose. "You-" the wolf smirked, remaining his father attention, lifting his finger to point toward him accusingly, "You love him."

 

"No," Gabriel supplied unconvincingly, moving off from his place at the wall, and up to the door, opening it ready to leave.

 

"You do!" Fenrir's smirk only grew, happy his childish comment had stopped his father in his tracks and assessing his every move.

 

Gabriel shook his head in affectionate exasperation.  _Snap_. His grandchildren appeared from him, both springing into action. "Cheater!" Fenrir tried his damnedest to growl under his smile, dropping to grab a twin in each arm, as Gabriel moved to escape the madness. 

 

 _Now for pancakes,_ making his way to the kitchen he snapped the pancake mix into existence on the way. Grabbing a pan out of the cupboard, he flicked the gas on a the stove, quickly setting into his usual routine. Mid-way between the first pancake he turned to grab a plate, throwing it to the side with sudden irritation. _Love Sam Winchester? No._  He'd watched the kid grow up and yeah, he was possessive but then Sam was destined for him. Gabriel, the angel of Monday and 'strong man of God' was his guardian angel. He'd jacked him off for Pete's sake. There was something here, between them but love? Love was too strong of a word. Love be anything, mean anything. Placing his affections for Samuel Winchester was practically impossible anyway. Yes,there was more than just the beginnings of an angelic bond here, he'd admit that much. But love? No. Affection maybe. But _not_ love. He'd be childish to get so attached after being so close for so little time.

 

Shrugging it off he sighed, flipping the first pancake and barely catching it as Sam creped through the door, speeding up into normal strides once he had caught a glimpse of Lo. "Hey kiddo, found your way well enough then?" he announced, focussing on shifting the pancake back into the centre of the pan. So much for finesse. 

 

"Yeah," Sam replied with slight embarrassment, all of that disappearing as he silently edged towards Lo, wrapping his arms around his waist from behind before he could receive objection. "Hey," he rumbled suggestively, nuzzling into Lo's hair with a purr.

 

"Mm, easy tiger," Lo dropped the first pancake onto the plate, placing the pan back over the stove. Grabbing Sam's arms he pulled him off of him and reversed to catch his gaze. "Food first," he commanded.

 

Sam nodded slightly, placing on hand on Lo's hip, the other going to his cheek. "Okay, but, just-" he whispered as he leaned in, taking Lo's lips gently, as if it were their first time all over again. His tentative tongue pressing to meet Lo's, the man happy to co-operate, opening his lips to Sam's and moaning into the kiss when the boy pulls him in tight, taking control unlike their previous encounter. They weren't uneven, one taking over the other, claiming complete dominance, no, they were equal and either could take over in a heartbeat but that was half the game. Here and now, Gabriel let Sam take this moment, let him dominate the battle between their tongues and relinquishing a string of weak moans, loving the way Sam's body was circling his, the way Sam's hand gripped tightly onto his hip, keeping Gabriel in check. Even more so he loved the way they moved on after the kiss, the boy snatching the plate from the side along with a jar of opened Nutella and a knife. He loved how completely comfortable they were with each other.

 

After a content sigh he focussed his attentions on the next pancake. _Bloody wolf... Love Sam Winchester?_ He heard the boy groan with pleasure in the background, turning he smirked over to Sam who was happily devouring his breakfast, supplying Lo a sheepish smile once they'd locked eyes, the events of earlier still playing in their minds. _Okay maybe a little._

 

 

 


	13. Be Still And Breathe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Business urgh I hate it.  
> Any ways, another plotty chapter...

Days went by comfortably. Every day was the same, waking up slowly in the same mountain of pillows, without Lo. Re-locating downstairs in his new clothes, he'd awkwardly bought under Hel with Lo's money and taking up his new laptop, thanks to Lo. He almost felt like Lo's new son, an extra addition to the family though Fenrir's smug look told him he was definitely not just another addition. He didn't know what to call himself. He did know that Lo loved to spend on him, 'to make him feel welcome' as he called it. So far Lo had bought Sam's study books, clothes, laptop, stationary, food and pretty much anything he ever asked for and more. Every morning Lo offered Sam the same amount of pancakes, switching fillings every day to find his favourite until settling on strawberries and a sprinkle of golden syrup, much to Lo's delight, aparrently a family favourite. Often Fenrir had questioned their relationship but Sam didn't mind, he told him what he knew, that he'd known him since God-knows-when and honestly he feels most comfortable when around the man and to that, Fenrir pointed to the light purple love bite on his neck with a knowing smirk. But it wasn't just that. It was Lo. The single person who had seen him at his worst then faced the fury, head-on and arms wide every single time. Lo was that one person who mattered and, as of yet, hadn't disappointed him, in some way or another. While it was true Dean was his brother, Dean had done so little against John over the years, he had chosen him instead of Sam and while that was exactly what he had expected him to do, it was still disappointing. Even these stories though saw Fenrir's smile only increase.

 

Day in and day out Sam looked up what he needed for Stanford, without fail every morning, then studying later for a few hours, taking breaks to grab some food, a drink or for some human company. From these breaks he had discovered Fenrir was Lo's adopted son, the same to be said for Hel and their absent siblings. Fenrir put it as 'a dead-beat dad ruined their family, Lo later took them in and the rest was history'. He didn't like to elaborate much more than that.

 

For a week Lo left him to his devices, cooking him pancakes as usual, checking up on him now and again, then sneaking into bed with him at night, keeping to himself to himself. Then, by morning, he was gone.

 

For a week Sam didn't say anything but by the second week, with only a few days remaining until he'd need to show up for the first day at Stanford, he didn't want to hold back any more. That night when Lo snuck into bed, he waited for Lo to settle and turned over, wrapping himself in the man and dropping his head ever so lightly onto his chest. For hours he listened to Lo's steady breathing, his heartbeat racing life through his veins. Part of him felt like Lo was drifting away but the other part of him knew that idea was stupid, Lo had housed him, looked after him day and night. Lo was going nowhere. He was home. Here. With everyone, on the way to Stanford. He was free and he loved it.

 

At some point Sam had fell back into the routine of calling Vali, 'Bones'. Thankfully, the dog responded, taking it on as his nickname for him and often keeping him company when the others wouldn't or were too busy with letters or arguing between themselves. Lo and Hel seemed to be the biggest culprits of argument, with Fenrir often becoming the peacemaker between them. Most often they'd argue over the future, of plans and ideas in jibberish he couldn't understand. Mentions of Gods like Odin, Loki or Tyr were the most frequent of the names he understood, not that he understood how they had any relevance what so ever. Otherwise words and names like angel, bond, Stanford and trickster were easy enough to understand the relevance of.

 

Ending arguments seemed to be the only thing Sam could manage. By the end of the first week Sam had discovered his presence completely stopped Lo from arguing, instead motivating him to actively glare at Hel as he took Sam by the arms and led him away, giving him the same apology each time, then leaving him to start 'work' up again a little more quietly.

 

After two days of wrapping himself around Lo at night, Lo appeared on the next night and snook in as usual before kissing Sam's cheek and whispering to ask if he was awake. When he mumbled back Lo continued kissing him around and across the mark still barely present at his neck, bringing his hand up to his cheek, then moving to kiss the side of his mouth, nose and forehead. Drooping lazily onto Sam's chest he curled into him, sighing happily as Sam wrapped his arms around him, brushing his hair out of the way of his eyes before relaxing into the mattress. They didn't speak. But they didn't need to. In two more days Sam would go off to Stanford, without him.

 

They had looked into the travel for Stanford from here and found Fenrir had a small place nearby he could take him to after the first day, only a bus ride away from Stanford. They could get him settled in a day before they needed him out there but Lo had said he could not afford to leave his children, not now everything was going on, though he would try and try his hardest to visit Sam when he could.

 

That morning Sam noticed the new phone on the sofa beside his bed only moments before he recognised Lo, still dead over his chest. That's the moment it clicked. The moment he knew he loved the ridiculously brilliant bastard. For everything and with everything he had.  Even when he was knocked out on his chest, this beautiful prick was just perfect.

 

For the rest of the day they stayed together, between Lo bringing them breakfast and Sam's laptop relocating up to the bedroom, they never moved an inch. They remained wrapped up together, never doing more than gently kissing one another in fear of losing hold of one another for too long. Tomorrow was the day Sam would leave for Fenrir's house and then, Stanford. Time was _not_ on their side. For the next few weeks Sam would a part of their entrance examination and then later, in mid-August he would start in the beginning of a new semester with everyone else.

 

It wasn't completely leaving, Lo would come and see him now and again before the beginning of the semester and during too if he went back to his son's house around then, but otherwise it was three years, maybe four until they could be together, properly together.

 

They didn't say a word as they lay there the entire day. No one came to pester either of them at any point of the day, up until the final knock on the door, only pushing Lo to cling tighter. "Lo..." he breathed finally, sighing against him.

 

"Shut up," he stated simply but affectionately, already aware of everything he could and would of said. Lifting off of him he grabbed Sam's arm and hauled him up, leaving Sam to pack for himself. Once he had thrown together everything he had already stockpiled for the transition into one of Fenrir's larger duffel bags and darted down to the car, not wanting to keep anyone waiting.

 

Throwing his bag in the back of his truck with the twins, Bones jumping in after it, striking up comical complains from Fenrir, he turned back and sighed. At some point, Lo had appeared behind him, watching him pack silently, distractedly, until Sam moved up to meet him. "Hey kiddo," he uttered.

 

"Hey," Sam whispered, pulling Lo in violently for a hug, knocking the wind right out of the archangel. He had no idea what to say. _How in hell could he word his feelings now?_ He didn't want to leave. Part of him wanted to stay here forever, maybe fight with Hel just like Lo, help Fenrir with his letters, play with Bones and the twins to pass the time. _They were family now._ More than that, they were the family he'd always wanted. Pushing Lo back he pulled him out of the hug and pressed his lips to Lo's, placing all his thoughts into the kiss instead, his hand tentatively on his cheek, his other hand holding him in place. 

 

They barely noticed the time run by, that is until Fenrir coughed in the background for the sake of his children's eyes, egging them apart to glare at him in equal amounts. Leaning in Lo whispered a final note into Sam's ear, manoeuvring the boy enough to place a kiss to his forehead before stepping back and finally letting him go. Gravitating towards him, he stepped back towards Lo, seeking out his touch on instinct but stopping himself at Lo's look, instead, reluctantly getting into the car. Gently he closed the door, ignoring the twins fighting over a hat and waved Lo as he left. _He had to do this now. For Lo. For everyone._

 

Fenrir mercifully didn't say a word the entire trip, taking his stuff out of the car at arrival and leading him to his room with Bones, dancing around the conquest the twins led through the halls. The only words he said were to "get some sleep," even then it was more of a muttered friendly hint than a command.

 

Sam was silent most of the night, unpacking his stuff to the necessary extent, then calling Lo a few hours later, taking to him about everything, and nothing, until he fell asleep. He could do this. Lo had promised he'd come see him before his first proper day and he'd celebrate with him at graduation, he could do this. He would do this. He could become a lawyer, bring in enough money to pay Lo back for everything. He knew he could always fight his corner, always get his point across and with some training, he really could make it, he could and he would. As morning came around, his face still plastered into the pillow, fully dressed beside his phone, he packed up again, ready for his introductory week into Uni.

 

Every other night he would call. Again and again it would be more people, more information and extreme excitement on the end of the line. It made his grace sing. Sam was happy, really happy and it was brilliant. Washing of the Enochian sigils took a few days, but once gone their bond snapped back into play, their new relationship bringing in a new renewed strength to their elastic band that almost dragged him half way across the state. It would have been easier if he didn't know Dean and their dad were closing in on more and more creatures ever more eagerly only a few miles out, now on the Tyr's trail of employees, attempting to lay waste to his son under Odin's orders. Carefully he ordered Fenrir to take care, warding out other monsters from the house in case they wanted his sons as leverage or Sam for fun. Even with that protection it would never be complete. Gods wanted Fenrir and his sons and there was no way they could ward against gods as long as they remained deities themselves. As long as Sam remained there with them he was in danger, more than he ever was with the Winchesters.

 

So one day, they packed up and left, leaving Sam and Vali alone, Hel turning up three days later with underwhelming apologies and promises of their return at his graduation. Days went by in shifty silence, Sam knew something was going on, but without Fenrir to talk to there was no way he was getting any information from the icy Hel. For a while he left the questions unanswered, getting to work on his University induction tasks instead of focussing on the underlying problems ahead of him. Up until his first day official day of University Hel stayed, Sam realised as long as she was here Lo wouldn't be coming any time soon, too busy with his son's predicament to visit him and he wasn't bitter. He'd only wished it had turned out differently.

 

On his first day of University he woke up, packed and ready expecting Hel, but meeting no one, nothing. Something was going on with that family, but instead of wondering too much he left Lo a message and got on the bus. _Lo wouldn't abandon him. He wouldn't go back on a promise without good reason._  

 

Looking at his phone hours later, he sighed.

 

 Lo - Sorry kiddo, seems like I'm not going to see you for a while.

 

 

 


	14. I Was Born, I Have Lived, I Will Surely Die

Right up to his graduation day Sam ignored every one of Dean's calls. He didn't want Dean there; he didn't belong at his graduation, not when he just stood aside all those years ago. Sam was twenty-two, soon to be twenty-three. For each one of his birthdays Sam's phone rang out, Lo appearing beside him when he was alone, not for long, once for only a few minutes but it was enough. He never really looked into it much, never really wondered how the man managed to get into the university each time; Lo was an ex-hunter, an expert, of course he could sneak into Stanford rooms with ease. Instead Sam focussed on his words, the deterioration of his happy smile growing each year, his words less frequent and his need to be held ever more potent. He had asked, but every time, without fail, Lo went to stop him in any way he could.

 

As promised, right there at the back, Lo was there, watching him graduate with a saddened smile, trying so hard to hide his dismay, to no avail, and then as Jessica, his classmate went to kiss him, Sam looked back over to Lo, who nodded joylessly. Jessica was something special, she was driven, always up and ready to enjoy life and more than anything a great friend in helping him get used to the routine at Stanford, the routine without Lo. So he gave it a shot, a life without Lo, but really it was never going to compare, not unless he moved away, away from the old house with Bones. That sad smile echoed a million thoughts though... He had to speak to him, even if he had to hold him down, he needed to talk to Lo. Before he could ask him why he was so sad, why he had been avoiding seeing him apart from birthdays and why he would just give up like that, let Jess stake her claim him, just give up whatever they had, Lo had vanished.

 

Lo - She likes you. Ask her out.

 

No, Jess would never be Lo, but that's not why he did it anyway, no not at all. Jess was everything Lo wasn't in the best of ways. She was there for Sam, just like Lo but she would never have reason to leave without him, to vanish and never come back. Jess wanted the apple pie life, the relaxed relationship and honestly he was comfortable around her, it was worth a shot. So in a few months she had moved into the house, taking up the twins' old double bed with him and Bones at night. Within a few days the house was practically their own, the reminiscence of Hel or the twins often appearing in the room for the first week and the transition from one room to another hitting him hard as he often went to the spare room instead of their new one, but by the beginning of the second week he had the house on lock-down, the only surprise being the house had only two rooms, making the sofa in the living room the makeshift bed of both Fenrir and Vali back before Uni. He missed Fenrir. Fenrir was like a big brother. While he was there he was tired every day, never doing anything other than playing with his twins out back, taking them out for groceries or looking through letters, grabbing the supply of money Lo continuously fed his boys and trying his hardest to ignore unnecessary threats. Fenrir was a great man, great in his love for his children, great for his sense of humour, his love for the people around him and the relationships he built. It was a surprise he had so many enemies. Unlike Lo he'd answer any and every question asked if by the right person. He was protective of those he loved, even on trips to the supermarket he would keep close eye on Sam and his boys and when suspicious people drew too close he would appear behind Sam, placing a hand on his shoulder, every single time.

 

Hel? Hel was his opposite; she kept herself to herself, always. The twins often avoided her, unless they needed something, they were scared or bored enough to wish suicide on themselves but even then they'd keep contact to a minimum. Even though Fenrir had taken them with him before Hel's arrival, Sam decided to follow their lead, ignoring her most of the time, trying his hardest never to get in the way, trying his hardest to ignore the late night calls that led her to cry down the phone, the months passing by and more and more bottles of various alcohols appearing in the house. It started at beer but within a two month period, she had shifted to heavy duty spirits, ringing Lo every few bottles and after a few hundred attempts, throwing herself at anything in anger, then disappearing without a trace the morning of his first day at Stanford.

 

Obviously something had happened, something big, massive but no one would to cough it up, even Lo wouldn't answer him now. So he gave up, stopped pressing for answers and just cleared the place up with Jess and Bones, his new family.

 

Their relationship wasn't perfect, it was pretty new and innocent if anything, she only moved in with him to spare money but from both their past relationships they seemed to prefer it that way, their friendship more predominant than any trace of a romantic relationship.

 

So when Dean showed up, it wasn't exactly perfect timing, even if it was what Sam needed.

 

Neither was it perfect timing when Sam relaxed back on the bed, finally relaxed into his new life to see Jess above him in flames.

 

Dean dragged him away from the blaze, scratching and clawing after her, wailing her name.

 

He couldn't lose her now, not after Lo, his family, he couldn't. But there she was, somewhere in the flames, burning alive just like their mother. And there was Lo, standing and staring into the flames dejectedly, Sam's last chance of a life without the apocalypse, away from monsters, literally blowing up in flames, along with his son.

 

She was sweet, beautiful, just like Mary and now, she was dead too.

 

Suddenly, cruelly, their lives had come crashing full circle, all his hard work, useless against Azazel's wit.

 

Gabriel stood and stared beside Sam right up until Dean dragged him away again. He couldn't predict the future more than Sam could, while he didn't see this coming, neither did Lo.

 

That night he answered Sam's call instantly, showing up at the doorstep of some random motel chosen by Dean and wrapping his arms around Sam until he fell asleep, fully aware he probably should be anywhere, anywhere but here, even if Sam was begging, pleading for him to stay, just till he fell asleep. He should but there was no way in hell he could deny Sam. Not after this. So, he stayed, Sam's head on his chest, hands clinging tightly onto the fabric of his shirt, invisible wings and grace wrapping him up in a cocoon of comfort, hushing him asleep and promising things will get better again, he will feel better again. 

 

His disappearance in the morning only spurred Sam on more to fall back into the hunting routine, his brother at his side, bringing the archangel along with them unintentionally to watch them risk life and limb time and time again to save people from far and wide. Gabriel was there, never in the way, never visible, but he was there. From the Wendigo straight up through to the boys finding themselves in hospital, from hunt to hunt he watched them, slowly falling back into his usual routine as well, praying on some Ohio university and residents nearby as supply for his trickster needs, dishing out just-deserts like no-ones business, then kicking back with Lotty in one of his least extravagant apartments every night, newspaper in hand open on the page of his shenanigans.

 

It wasn't a difficult job, from Ohio he could check on Sam whenever he threw himself into more danger, keep an eye on him when emotions spiked or simply when he felt the need. Gabriel could easily meet up with some of the Pagans, restore relations since Odin's little family hunt and keep friends like Kali close. Close in case he needed them for round two. Often he would spend half of his day half way across the globe with Hati, entertaining his grandson as much as possible and wrapping his arms around him when the child needed it. Hati hadn't grown much since Sam last caught glimpse of him, deities often stopped ageing once comfortable with their powers and it seemed the twins were outstanding cases, early developers in human form, less so in wolf form but their father had helped them with that. Hati was often lonely; always the more vulnerable of the boys, his older twin forever taking care of him, only seven minutes older than him but the fighter of their little unit. Them against the world, their Dad would say, on the way to every family trip or every move they were forced into. In the end, we remember the good moments don't we?

 

Even as kids we never remember our first word, first tooth out maybe but it would have to be something special, memorable to get edgeways into our long-term section. We hardly remember our scrapes, the first time in the principal’s office, or the first few hairstyles we tried out. That wasn't true for the boys though. Fenrir took a camera, never a special camera, or an expensive on and most of the film was cut terribly or in black and white but that didn't matter. He recorded a few snippets before the boys, their mother cut out of the film, played back too often and corrupted but the rest was still there. The boys first few weeks, the time Hati tumbled down the stairs when recording as a toddler, only to have his brother pick him up, their first few wolf sessions as pups, their first tooth out, Hati's before Skoll's, much to his irritation, pancakes with Grandpa for the first time, Skoll teasing this brother for his Nutella moustache, first time trips across the planet. It was all there, spread out in a mass of cassette tapes, disks and SD cards in the metal box, padlocked, at the back of their father's pick-up truck. But even these tapes, in their abundance, avoided the low moments; mum's death, the arguments between housing when times were hard or the nights out in the middle of no-where with nothing but a blanket. Dad hadn't told them, but Grandpa did. He told them how Dad had had to sleep rough with two kids, a single dad to twins, fully wolfed up half the time to beg strangers for food, the rest of the time using up as much of his influence as possible to maintain the dark magic and therefore, opposable thumbs.

 

Things weren't always so easy. But that only made them love him more.

 

So when Hel heard the news, she let go, she did the best she could and then, she drank, and drank, and drank. Up until she felt something and there was no booze any more, then she broke, throwing herself at anything, everything, until she couldn't feel any more. She called up her father, time and time again until he finally picked up, the twins in his back-seat, fleeing the only way they couldn't trace. They picked her up and Lo stood over Sam, watched him sleeping, just for a little while, then left, again, driving until they had enough distance between them and their trackers to pull away.

 

He never really left Sam though. He watched Sam wake, accept the silence and go straight to Uni. He watched her flirt with him, more so in the later years of his courses, and he fought, fought their attackers away each time, never able to use too much power in case he gave himself away but he never really needing it, up until the Winchester's, them they couldn't out-run so easily. John had them pinned and however much Hel wanted them killed, Loki wouldn't let her, so they faked their deaths as best they could, keeping the twins as close as possible.

 

Things, never really are so easy, especially when you want them to be.

 

A surprise attack on the family left Hel in tatters, her true-half-skeleton form fighting against impossible odds. Gabriel did what he could, honest to god he did but with the Winchesters, John and Dean close by to the disturbance, he only managed to grab Hati and get him out of there, screaming as they tore Skoll apart, all limbs at once, crying out for his brother.

 

They'd gotten what they came for, Hel, dead along with her brother and his eldest son Skoll, the legend of Ragnarök destroyed along with them.

 

Honestly their attackers would have preferred them all dead, but one out of two was good enough to stop the prophecy, ensuring the safety of both Odin and the world with him. 

 

Bloody prophecies, they were bullshit really. Nothing could ever be certain; Gabriel knew that more than most. So imagine his surprise when years later, when none other than the Winchester's catch onto his Ohio antics, pulling up in their fathers Impala in the same old boisterous fashion, hunting down a creature unlike any they've met before. 

 

_Oh kiddo, this is gunna be quite the shock..._

 

 

 


	15. Tall Tales Taste Like Sour Grapes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited over slightly -

Gabriel enveloped the child, lifting him up into his arms and depositing him under the covers. "Are you scared Grandpa?" A tiny inquisitive voice poked through layers of fabric, piercing blue eyes locked on his.

 

That was Hati all over, the quiet one, the poet, not the fighter, the boy destined to chase after the moon and meet his brother at the end, when they devoured their targets on the world's final day. Skoll was instead destined for the sun, that in itself seemed to summarise his personality, bashful, bright, like his brother and warm in most ways, smile being one, his rage being another. His brother though was small in comparison, not so much physically but persona wise definitely. He was pure, innocent and unsure. Never more than now was that true, his brother torn limb from limb and scattered by the same monsters who had killed their father right before his eyes only two years prior. He was alone now. Alone in the house of wolves, left to the runt of the litter and far too big for so much fluid silence. He was the last of his kind and he was sad, not angry or remorseful or revengeful in the slightest, only pained sorrow remained.

 

"Terrified," Gabriel admitted, ruffling the kid’s hair softly, like his father did, just to get him to sleep. He hadn't seen Sam in years, not properly anyways and that alone could mean so many things. After everything he may just hate him, probably not, little old Sam was always too damn sweet for hatred, but he would definitely be a little bitter, just a tad. Abandonment does that to a person. The angels would know that better than anyone, but that smile, the way Sam beamed at him, when he dreamt, whispering Lo's name, it gave him just that little bit of hope. Maybe, just maybe, they could salvage this, whatever _this_ is.

 

The boys showed up a while after arriving in the town, throwing on some fairly believable electrician disguises and playing their parts, asking for a way into the room one of his least favourite victims dove from a day earlier. They looked cute, as cute as they could in big baggy electrician outfits. It was hard to keep in character with Sam staring him down on the way in, hidden shock and joy taking over his expression, while his brother wasn't looking that is, the rest of the time he would poker face, intent on keeping _this_ a secret.

 

"So, how long have you been working here?" _How did I know that would be the first question? Oh Sam, you never change._

 

They changed moved to opposing sides of the room in harmony, staring each other down fairly successfully as Dean focussed entirely on the job, "I've been mopping this floor for six years." For a bullshit lie Sam held out well. His face didn't seem to move but his eyes said it all. _He'd probably think it was a cover for hunting, go figures._

 

"There you go, guys," Gabriel gestured to the window, turning back to see Sam's EMF reader. _Oh fuck it, might as well add a little extra musk to my part._ "What the heck's that for?"

 

"Just find a wire in the walls." _Your turn to lie hm?_

 

Gabriel held his own. He would not be the first to cave. "Huh. Wow. Not sure why you're wiring up this office. Not gunna do the professor much good."

 

"Why's that?" _Oh hey Dean._

 

"He's dead," he supplied bluntly.

 

 _That seems to have you smiling._ "Oh. What happened?"

 

"He went out that window. Right there." He pointed dismissively.

 

"Yeah? Were you working that night?" _You again. Not caving._

 

He kept his tone neutral, holding his grace back as best he could as it squirmed in irritation, no more pleased than he was at lying to his... Whatever Sam was, "I'm the one who found him."

 

"You see it happen?"

 

"No. I just saw him come up here, and uh," Dean was somewhere off with a bowl of nuts, a little 'Lo' wouldn't hurt. "Well." He dropped his gaze with a blush.

 

"What?" Sam leaned in after him, smile wide.

 

"He wasn't alone."

 

The rest of the exchange was pretty simple, boring old Winchester routine. Dean's delighted smirk left the trickster with a definite sense of accomplishment, even if Sam had glared toward his brother, then him only seconds later. He watched them leave, careful not to stare too obviously and released the breath he wasn't aware had been holding, relief taking over his expression. _Bloody Nora that was close. So lying… Lying's a thing too? Can't lie without a mass of guilt because he's my... Whatever. Great! Perfect. Makes being a trickster pips!_

 

That was in no way that was the last he'd hear of the boys, not where Sam was concerned. He'd have to work on his control of this bond if Sam were to get any closer, a full bond may stop him from being able to lie to him completely... Not that he was going to angelically bond with Sammyboy, no chance. Angels only get one and he was content with not using it thank you very much, not unless he really needed to, life and death needed to that is.

 

The boys were closing in day by day so he pulled a few pranks on them of this own, Dean's tires, Sam's computer; it wasn't difficult to get them to turn on one another. Meanwhile Sam had showed up after hunting hours, told Dean he had gone to the bar and ended up at the school gates, sitting there on the first few steps, waiting.

 

"It's pretty late kiddo; sure you want to be out here... alone?" A feminine voice sounded after him, heels clanging on the concrete down towards him from the entrance. She seemed to deepen her tone on 'alone', almost purring the word out.

 

"Don't even try, Bobby's already told us."

 

"Told you what sweetheart?" She purred again, in contrast to Sam, clanging down the steps slowly until she stood in front of him, sleek cherry red dress, gold bangles and necklace, highlighting her perfect mix slim figure and voluptuous curves in the orange lamp lights.

 

He stood up to meet her, heels still making her fairly short compared to the giant, that point only emphasised further as he moved up dangerously close to her, eyes fixed on her golden ones, determined and relentless. She wasn't uncomfortable though, instead she brought her hands to his hips, using her nails to claw under his shirt, smoothing over his abs with a purr and waiting fairly patiently for her answer.

 

"Lo... Loki," he watched as she stilled at the mention of the name, considering taking her hands back, only for Sam to grab into her wrists, pulling back enough to get her hands out from under his shirt and holding her sternly in place. _Clever boy._ "Let's not lie to each other," he glared, "Dean wants you dead, I'm not so sure I want to stop him."

 

"Uh!" she exclaimed, quickly dropping a few inches and transforming, dress to shirt and jeans, eyes fixed on his with a joking smirk, happily ignoring the seriousness in Sam's gaze. "And after all I did for you Sammy."

 

"It's Sam." he hissed, throwing his wrists back to him once he'd fully transformed back into his usual state.

 

"Oh come on!" The trickster moved in, pulling Sam flush against him from his waist, bringing a hand up to the boy's cheek, the other remaining at his waist, drawing circles into his skin. "Don't be like that. You know I couldn't tell you," he murmured promisingly, snapping them out from the cold and into the school theatre, plopping Sam onto the bed he had created there.

 

Sam sat up on the edge of the bed, gaze still angry, taking in his surroundings once again then staring at Lo a.k.a Loki dead on with a much lighter expression than he was attempting to give. "You know he'll want you dead."

 

"Mhm," Loki mused, walking up to Sam and placing his knees beside his, forcing Sam's together and leaning over the bed ever-so-slightly, closing the gap between them and letting his hands move up from his knees to his thighs as he lent closer. "But what do you want Sam?"

 

It took some time for him to come up with an answer, but with everything, all the times Lo had helped him as Lo, the past between them, he couldn't kill this man, he wouldn't and right now with him so close, massaging this thighs so temptingly, the answer was simple really. "You."

 

"Not dead?" He smirked, manoeuvring onto his lap, a leg either side of his, spurring Sam on to cross his legs behind him.

 

Lifting his hand up to Lo's cheek he smiled back cheekily, "Not dead." He confirmed, bringing the smaller man in for a long lingering kiss, gingerly playing with the creatures lower lip. Focus, he pressed, dropping his hands to Lo's chest, feeling the muscles there and then down to his hips, just getting under the fabric of his shirt as he pulled away. "How we gunna manage that?" Sam breathed with quiet concern.

 

"Let me focus on that," he winked, face full of confidence as he wiggled in Sam's lap, pushing him on.

 

Sam seemed fairly happy with that response, quickly adding, "And afterwards?" His hands refusing to move until he had his answer.

 

"Afterwards... I'll come find you." He promised, beaming after the comment in a mirror image to Sam, pressing his forehead to his. Eyes longer passionate, just affectionate, loving even.

 

Sam's smile dropped as he thought over lethal Dean going after Lo and his hands dropped back to Lo's hips, trickster or not, Dean was scary. "You sure you can get Dean off your back? He won't go down easy."

 

"I'm sure," he assured Sam as best he could, "Listen, you go along with Dean, do what we wants, what you'd normally do and stay in character. I'll make it look convincing, okay?"

 

"Okay." Loki lifted a hand, brushing Sam's hair off his forehead and pressing a kiss there. "Don't worry," he lingered close to Sam, moving his fingers ever so slowly to his brush the edge of his lips, "Next time" he promised, mostly to himself, "Next time."

 

Then all at once he faded the world around Sam shifting back, Lo's power depositing him gently on the steps in front of the school, exactly where he had been before. He was almost kicking himself, he was flirting with Loki, Lo, and yet he wasn't scared, not at all, because this was Lo. Lo was to be trusted, with anything, everything, even the supernatural. He finally had someone he wanted, was wanted by and could keep, if they wanted.

 

_If he wasn't dead by tomorrow that is._

 

Either way Sam did as Loki asked, following Dean’s lead to the letter and finding reports on Lo’s activities on the way but ignoring them as best he could, the trickster MO simply meant these bastards deserved it in one way or another. He knew Lo, he wouldn't hurt a fly, if innocent, so instead he put them back, told Dean the basics and set up with him for the s later, stakes at the ready and fingers tightly crossed.

 

"-Like I said, I liked you. But Sam was right. You shouldn't have come alone." Loki darkened his tone, lacing it with excited mischievousness and sticking firmly to his role.

 

"Well, I'll agree with you there," Dean remarks with a smug expression, his brother appearing from one end of the theatre, Bobby the other, both clutching stakes smothered in the same blood Dean’s was, the blood of the man off the roof, the perfect recipe to kill a trickster, once and for all. If only he were a trickster.

 

"That fight you guys had outside," says the trickster. "That was a trick?" Dean smiles and shrugs proudly. "Hmm. Not bad.” Dean finally pulls his stake out from his jacket. "But you wanna see a real trick?" Lo snarks, creating a mad man with a chainsaw too busy Sam and Bobby as he sent the girls on Dean, he cackles happily as they attempt to break free.

 

"Nice toss, ladies!" laughs the trickster. "Nice show." Dean spots a stake on the ground at the same time as Sam does. "Dean, Dean, Dean Dean," Gabriel lets his double get carried away. "I did not want to have to do this." As he stands up, Sam throws the stake to Dean without a second thought and Dean jumps up at wondrous speed, stabbing the stake deep into the trickster’s chest.

 

"Me neither,” and all at once, the mad man vanishes, taking the woman with him in a puff of smoke, leaving only the theatre and the bed remaining. Dean reaches forwards and pulls the stake right out of the dead man’s body, turning to his family as they moved towards him. "You guys okay?"

 

"Yeah," Sam states without an ounce of emotion. "I guess." He stares at the body. _Lo? Had he just?_ He ignores his brother final comments, following Dean up the stairs of the theatre with drunken movements and turning back for a final look even as his family advanced without him, turning to stare at the body remaining dead in its seat. He'd killed Lo. He's killed him. Stone dead. Without a second thought, he just did it... Killed the monster, as always. He looked over the theatre in all its glory, the red carpet spewing down the stair cases, light barely lighting the sides of the room and white lights above doing the rest of the work, most of that light centred around the bed in the middle of the stage, taking it over with satin comfort.

 

_Wait._

 

_No._

 

_The bed._

 

_Lo?_

 

Dean's call only just registered, “Come on Sam!”

 

"Lo?" he breathed, shuffling to follow his brothers voice.

 

Lo was _alive_.

 

 

 

 

 


	16. Whore

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heeyyy so bad news, posting this from my phone as my computer is deader than a dodo atm.  
> Hopefully I can recover everything off it... :/ Oh well. Show goes on. Hopefully quality doesn't drop too much.

Appearing again no more than three days later, once the boys had settled into a new motel room a few states over, Lo interrupted their hunt, pulling Sam aside one night out of the blue and dragging him from the bar Dean had brought them to as a foxy brunette in a sleek black dress, red lipstick disrupted by teeth pulling at her lower lip. Her talons wrapped their way around his neck, the other set taking his drink out of his hand and placing it down back at the bar.

 

"Woah," Dean exclaimed out of proud shock in the background, the girl pressing up against his baby brother in all the right ways, both her arms draped over his shoulders. Before Sam could speak a sarcastic comment about her rudeness, only half way through his beer, she dragged his lips down to hers with surprising strength, dragging those very same teeth over his lip to get his mouth open and responsive for her tongue.

 

Twisting and sucking on Sam's tongue painfully slowly Sam finally gave in, grabbing her at the hips and dragging her up against him. No one kissed him like this. Not since Lo. Lo... He'd pulled this trick before and he couldn't just walk up to him with Dean around,  _Lo? Is this you?_

 

In the background Dean groaned with feigned irritation, turning his body away from them, "Get a room!"

 

Once they'd pulled away Sam whispered "Lo?" against her lips, staring straight into her dark brown - almost black- eyes with unmatchable intensity.

 

She nodded with a wide smile, keeping her eyes locked on Sam's and whispering back, "It's next time clever boy." Taking his hand after sending Dean apologetic looks, the girl guided him through the back of the pub-slash-club, past countless doors of house hookers, stripers and prostitutes, moving on to the end of the hall, under Dean's renewed proud gaze, through the final white door.

 

Once past the wood Lo was back as his usual self, transformed back into his usual attire and accompanying smirk in a blink of an eye, a batt of an eyelid. Pausing for a second to get used to the change, Sam then pulled Lo in, leaving him no room what-so-ever to free himself from his iron grip, arms wrapping him down around him the most massive hug.  "I killed you," Sam choked, dropping his face into Lo's hair, seeking some form of comfort, "I-"

 

Pulling him close the trickster sighed, _oh Sam_. He gave him this moment of warmth, before pulling away against Sam's flimsy protest and holding him at arms length, hands tightly gripping his sides as a substitute for his shoulders. "You followed your brother's instruction, just as I told you and look, I'm as alive as ever... You did well Sam." When Sam didn't respond he continued, "I'm not dying on you, the only thing that could kill me now is you and you don't want me dead... Right?" he pushed Sam down onto the bed behind him with his final word, revealing his grip on the boy's sides, instead taking his chin firmly between three fingers when he refused to answer after a few minutes, raising the boy's gaze up to connect with his, eyes soft.

 

"Right," Sam pulled himself together with a shake of his head and feigned a smile until moments later, it became real.

 

Lo smiled too, sitting beside the boy he moved his hand from his chin to the back of his neck, pulling him forwards and drooping his forehead onto Sam's, shaking his fingers into the back of Sam's hair to keep him at ease, "See, there we go." Once Sam had relaxed into his grip he lifted himself off the bed, planting a kiss on his forehead and fidgeting to the sofa at the opposite end of the room, restraining himself or more importantly, his grace. Lo sat down on the sofa at the opposing side of the room, in perfect view of the bed, an ankle confidently resting over his knee. The room had obviously been set up for some mix of prostitution and BDSM, the walls lined with toys hanging off hooks or strapped to the wall, all appearing all of the sudden under Sam's gaze, making Lo's constant stare only more embarrassing. Gaze drooping across the rose walls he stared with interest he couldn't deny, looking between shackles, rope, clips of some kind, what looked like a feather duster but with less feathers, a riding crop, least used of all the toys, followed by variations of gags, small metal beads, blindfolds, headphones, most used of all various cock rings, straps and finally a cupboard spewing with kinky outfits on the side of mostly female professions, with collars the most prominent in varying leathers lining the roof of the cabinet.

 

Dropping his head he brought his hand up to the back if his neck, trying to tackle the heat of both the room and the embarrassment or rather promise the room swept him with. "Hey," Lo's tone was dripping with a smirk even before he had moved up towards Sam, standing a few inches in front of his knees. "I didn't know you liked this sorta stuff... look at you, all hot and bothered."

 

"It's just...hot," Sam said, mostly in reassurance to himself, voice a little raspier than the one he had entered with. Ideas attempting to throw his mind overboard if not kept under control, but to have a trickster, Lo, to have Lo locked in the room with him and his brother thinking he and a brunette were doing god knows what... Didn't help.

 

Leaning forward Lo pulled at his shirt buttons, hesitantly undoing the first few until Sam seemed to be happy with the movement, head still down, focussed on his fingers, so he took them out slowly, one by one, just to antagonise him. "Don't lie to me Sam," he murmured over the movements, letting the boy's shirt hang at his shoulders once undone, Sam soon shrugging it off out of irritation. Throwing his shirt to the side, he returned his gaze to low on the floor, keeping it there for a while and a while longer until he had mustered the courage to look his Lo in the eye. Snatching his gaze instantly he was half tempted to shy under it's intensity, but instead held his own, lifting himself up onto his knees and shuffling back onto the bed, inviting Lo.

 

"Mm..." he took Sam's offer graciously, walking around the side of the bed, surprising Sam and joining him at his back, pressing down on Sam's shoulder until he lay comfortably in the trickster's lap, head on his thigh. "Yanno I came here to take you to remote corners of the globe-" Lo began massaging the boys shoulders, causing Sam to groan each time he pressed his thumbs in at that perfect spot, "-give you a holiday, celebrate the whole 'not dead' thing in style," Lo continued slowly, making sure every word was heard perfectly while continuing his ministrations, increasing their concentration at this point with snail like speed that dragged down deep across all the tired muscles there, relieving some of Sam's knots. "Yet here you are, sweeter than anything I've ever seen and hot under the collar at the idea of kinky sex... being mine, maybe not forever," Lo leaned in, bypassing his lips beside the tip of Sam's ear, "but right now," he continued, moving in towards Sam's ear and murmuring hotly, "mine."

 

He held back most of a shiver, a mild whine escaping instead without his permission, Lo's words pushing him to lean back into his protector, his trickster and hold his head low in case he said anymore, also attempting to avoid sight of the toys surrounding the room, incase he thought too much but the ideas were already in his mind and he was already half-hard anyway, Lo reducing him to the stamina of a teenager. "Shh... Relax," Lo said softly, moving one hand from his shoulders and smoothing his hair with calming strokes. "This stuff effects you more than I thought it would."

 

That was it for a while, they both barely moved, Sam fluttered his eyes closed and relaxed into Lo's lap, Loki above him, watching over him and happily brushing his hair out of his face, leaving fingers snaked into his hair afterwards. Sam was content, half-asleep in Lo's comforting grip, as untroubled as he had ever been before the fight with John, before California. He barely noticed the change underneath him and the strong, yet warm gusts of wind suddenly hitting his cheeks, until he sunk into the sand, heat flowing over him by the masses.

 

Opening his eyes split seconds later on instinct he shot up, meeting a completely new landscape. Surrounding them was an abundance of dark skinned locals ankle deep in sand and sporting multicoloured t-shirts, a wooden planked peer to his right, utterly full of fisher men, more locals, mostly comprised of children jumping off the edge and shop owners attempting to draw in tourists. Past the peer was a bunch of locals, older teenagers surrounding one of the eldest boys in middle, some in everyday clothing over swimsuits, sodden, clapping in time, barking back the eldest boys tunes in unison, an odd few voices recognisable above the rest.

 

On his left was the remaining golden beach, leading on for a mile or so before turning on itself, meeting the climax of the island. Half a mile down the beach were sunbeds and huts with wild dogs hidden in the midst of tourists, enjoying the newly added Thompson location amongst German holiday makers, sipping cocktails supplied by hotel staff of the same colour of the locals, children throwing a volleyball back and forth between the crowd until they were back on court, lined with tape peaking through sand behind the main huts. Staff danced in time in the midst of a square of darker sand, surrounded by a fresh batch of tourists, sun beating down on them all through empty patches of sky in the clouds, increasing the temperature by about 15 degrees each time it appeared and sending most lobster red.

 

Behind him was Lo, smirking widely in the foreground, staring. Behind Lo was a clear stretch of sea, a group of boats in all shapes and sizes, fixed in place by boys, waves bobbing them up and down, racing towards the shore and crashing in white rage to heights almost as tall as Sam, rising larger further down the coast, crashing back and forth up the sand in a Mexican wave down shore, displacing the golden sand and uncovering the black sand below in stripes, revealing the islands previously volcanic nature.

 

"Lo...where are we?" Sam asked, an extra burst of sea wind highlighting his bare chest, suddenly in blue shorts he wasn't aware he had changed into, finding Lo had done the same, his own red and white patterned shorts happily sitting low under his bare abs. _Fuck he had abs. God damn it Lo._

 

Pulling a strawberry lollipop out of thin air he waved it while answering, excitedly smug, "Sal, my personal favourite island of Cape Verde, off West Africa."

 

Sam watched as Lo dropped the lollipop into his mouth, sucking for a while before throwing it to the side, it disappearing midflight, "Uh...Why are we here?"

 

"To relax!" he grabbed Sam's hand, pulling them both up to their feet, "Come on!" He dragged Sam across the beach, away from the crowds of locals spewing from their homes and the peer and tourists bounding down the beach from sunbeds and instead, toward the waves. Once in the middle of the beach he dropped his hand and started walking up to meet the foam water, wiggling his toes as they reached his skin. "I'll take you back by morning, promise!" turning back when a few steps in, the cool water lapping at his knees he leant down, collecting water in his hand to splash Sam with, flimsily throwing it as far as he can, barely reaching the giant. "Come on!" he shouted back, egging Sam on with a boyish cheeky smirk and his own brand of puppy dog eyes.

 

It took Lo all of thirty seconds to get Sam to join him. Once in the sea they played there for hours, prancing about in the waves, sun beating down on them full blast. Sam went over a few times, the waves throwing him in somersalts and beaching him ashore, causing Lo to go into fits of careless laughter only to be swept away himself. This went on, and on, and on. Wave by wave the day was wasted away, but the sun seemed slower than usual here. Lo probably had something to do with that, but he didn't care. Infact he loved it, every second of it...Lo. The final time they beached ashore together, it was at the hands of the largest wave they'd seen all day, knocking the wits out of the pair, practically winding them and leaving Sam sodden, cold and sand filled, the sea breeze beating the sun as she hid her warmth behind the clouds.

 

As Sam shivered Lo sighed, offering his hand to him, "Come 'ere." Taking his offer graciously, Lo pulled him over towards him, the landscape around them transforming in this single tug, beach transforming into dusty grounds, dipping around where they stood, ankle-deep in a pool of warm salty water.

 

Throwing himself at the water, he found himself floating flat on his belly after a few steps, the pool itself going from what Sam guessed as 30 degrees Celsius to 60 three or four metres down and too hot to attempt to reach the bottom. Twisting onto his back he knew Lo had sat by the side of the natural pool, watching him unreservedly with an affectionate smile. "Where is this?" Sam breathed, too content to care what his voice sounded like.

 

"Same island, Pedra De Luma salt mines in the inactive volcano... You good?"

 

"Yeah," Sam practically groaned, the water lapping the sand away and washing away his troubles, replacing them with warm flakes of salt.

 

"We've got one more place to go, get that salt off you, talk a little, then the choice is all yours Sammykins," Lo supplied with an amused tone.

 

"Mmm'kay... Five minutes."

 

"You've got all the time in the world babe," Lo chuckled, already creating a time loop here, keeping tourists off of their backs for however much longer. He couldn't pass up Sam's completely bliss look, eyes relaxed shut, limbs splayed out wide with more thought for how it feels than how it looks. The content smile across his face said it all, make Lo wish they could do this all the time, visit his favourite places in the world,  just to see Sam's face, that happy smile, beaming from cheek to cheek he had had hours before, fighting against those waves. They could go anywhere, do anything. He could keep Sam out of danger, protect him for the rest of his life... But that wasn't what Sam wanted, once this was over Sam would go back to hunting and Michael would find creative ways of readying the brothers for the final battle. Stupid Michael. Always following the plan, blind to the other options. Lucifer wasn't having Sam. Sam was his. His.

 

"Glad you're not dead," Sam mumbled, trying hard to maintain the mix of importance and difficulty the words flew off his tongue at. It was obviously something he had needed to say.

 

"Yeah... Me too."

 

 


	17. Cold Blooded

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the wait. I'm not completely happy with the recent chapters and getting back into it now my laptop is down is not so easy.  
> This one's a little oddly paced, a little all over the place but that's Gabriel all over eh?  
> Enjoy :)

"Look, this is not what I wanted," golden eyes pleaded with today's mix of brown, the light of day the same as the lights of the warehouse, hitting them in that perfect way, that always unique but so perfectly Sam-like way, leaving you confused if they have a colour at all or, if the eyes truly are the windows to the soul, what a confusing soul this boy would have to the eyes of someone who couldn't see how blatantly pure it is. Even if stained. "Honestly boys, if there was another way I'd be selling that instead, but I've changed the story enough already and any ways you spin it there's no other way, no other closing scene... This all ends with you, it will always end with you."

 

The three stand and stare one another down, things are different now, things have changed because unlike before, the boys knew, they knew what this creature is, truly is. Sam knows he has been lied to. That Lo, isn't Lo. He's something, entirely more terrifying, but worse yet, Sam knows he has been betrayed.

 

***

 

"Maybe he'll help us."

 

"You're serious." Dean was always going to be the more difficult to convince, his eyes darted to his brothers, sceptical.

 

"Yeah."

 

"Ally with the Trickster."

 

"Yeah." _Ally with Lo._

Since the visits, the trips around the world, they had gotten back to how they were; Sam could now tell Lo about hunts, more so than any other usual hunter. He could talk about himself, his brother, get advise if he needed it and sure enough, at some point Sam stopped bringing his miniature stake along just in case, content in the knowledge he was safe with Lo.

 

***

 

Azazel had him. He had them all, every single dirtied soul he had harvested was here, the lot now fighting to become his personal puppet. It was barbaric. An idea only his brother would be capable of twisting into the human soul. It was pure evil.

 

Sam made it to the final two. Sam and Jake were battling it out in a fist fight, with every blow Sam lands getting him closer to victory, or rather survival.

 

Sam was not intended to win though, soon the telltale signs of another Archangel appear, the boys recognising nothing but each other as Michael emerges from the shadows, eyes fixed on the reawakening Jake. Staying out of sight Gabriel watches his brother push Jake into delivering the final blow, Dean screaming out to him. That seemed to be enough to appease Michael and then, he was gone.

 

Sam's eyes avert from his brothers as soon as Michael disappears, snapping to Gabriel's as if up until now they had been forced not to and were now rushing to fill the temptation.

 

" _Sorry kiddo, it's your turn to die."_ And for a second there, he felt the pull of their bond stretching and shivering under strain but he was not letting go, death would not separate them, Gabriel wouldn't allow it.

 

Dean goes to his brother, Bobby instead chasing after the disappearing Jake, leaving the brothers alone together for Sam's final moments. Trudging over to them with a heavy heart he watches, aware with his brothers presence comes the will of Heaven and the insurance this event was going to take place, no matter what he tried, so instead he stood beside Dean and watched the elder brother break down over Sam's corpse, promising things he could never hope to achieve, tears streaming down his face.

 

How Castiel is ignoring the bond's tug right now, Gabriel has no idea.

 

Leaning down to smooth Sam's hair when his body slumps forward into his brothers, Sam's very soul brushes past his finger tips, the bright white sphere tumbling through the sky, strands of demon blood thinly lining the energy flow of his soul and slightly corrupting the train of blue that fed itself around Gabriel, then up toward Heaven, toward Michael.

 

 _"Rest Sam."_ The archangel chokes with bitter sweet happiness. This wasn't the end. Heaven would never let Lucifer's vessel rest in peace. Never.

 

***

 

Seems Michael had intended Dean for Hell. Of course. _Stupid stupid stupid!_ Gabriel released another demon from his clutches, the final one of many body's lying face down and limp on the wooden floor boards at his feet. _They shouldn't of threatened Sam, his Sam. They had it coming. Every last one of them._

 

He watched Sam with renewed interest, the brotherly unit as strong as ever now Azazel was down and their father was there to be avenged.

 

Gabriel hadn't gone back that day. He did not go to find Sam the day he returned from the dead and even after that he stayed quiet, refusing to appear until Sam summoned him or tracked him, which of course he couldn't do with his brother around, so they stayed separate, happily apart. By now he could deal with the hunts, the average amount of scratches, bumps and bruises he always saw Sam return to each motel with. He could deal with the isolation but the boys, in their own stupid Winchester way just had to go play potion master. He couldn’t handle this anymore, between the witches, the anti-Santa and Sam's general recklessness, with a tad of Dean's annoying self-righteous attitude he simply could not help himself.

 

Mystery Spot. It seemed a fun way to get the message across at first. Sam played completely into his hands, watching Dean go, over and over, in increasingly more inventive ways, toward the morgue until the day Sam noticed. Boy Sam could really push a stake up against him when Dean's life was on the chopping block. It took a moment, just a moment of promise to rattle Sam's cage in all the right ways and then after that, the six months without Dean, Sam was ready to blow.

 

When he finally caught Lo he was running on borrowed energy, angry, betrayed and heavy hearted; he was broken, swaying from side to side with nerves in front of his trickster, stake at the ready. _How things had changed._

"Dean's your weakness. And the bad guys know it, too. It's gonna be the death of you, Sam." The trickster stared the boy down, eyes somewhere between pleading, guilty, guilty that here his intended mate stood here with watery eyes because of him but also trying to seem detached from the situation, like this didn't mean everything for them.

 

"He's my brother."

 

Lo bluntly replied, "Yup. And like it or not, this is what life's gonna be like without him."

 

"Please. Just—please." Sam was basically begging now.

 

"I'm not having you die again Sam." This time it was completely Lo talking and the emotion in his eyes was open for all to see, the trickster avoiding his eyes but only by a few inches, keeping him in blurred view at the corner of his vision. "Next time it might just kill me."

 

"Lo-"

 

"No! You listen to me, if I have to watch those winged ass monkeys take you away from me one more time I will find my way into Heaven and rescue you myself!"

 

"Lo stop." Sam hissed now, moving up to Loki, hovering over him with anger in his eyes, all sympathy lost. "Where have you been, and California- where were you? I am not yours to save. I used to be. Not anymore; I'm a hunter now, I can save myself... I came here to kill you for what you did...You loved me once. Right? Just- give me my brother back- please- please Lo," that heartbreaking look was there again and now it was Lo's turn to turn to rage.

 

"Where was I- California? Ha! I was giving you a chance to live out a good, apple pie life- no monsters- as I fought and fought and watched my children die!" Loki raged, throwing Sam back a few metres and onto the ground, turning away with fists clenched. "I did this because I still do love you Sam Winchester," he hissed just loud enough for Sam to hear, turning back again, "I have always loved you, you ignorant ape! And you know what, you are the only thing that can kill me, remember? So do it!" Gabriel threw his real blade down, in front of Sam, who was now almost back up onto his feet, listening with head down, eyes hidden from Lo's, contemplating the offer. "You want me dead so much, you want your brother back, kill me!"

 

Taking the silver blade in hand their bond strained, the pure emotion but Sam dismissed it as butterflies in his stomach, moving up towards Lo slowly, eyes locked on his before snapping into action, grabbing the trickster by the collar and forcing him up against the wall, blade at his throat. "You killed my brother over and over because you love me?!"

 

"I can't watch you die again- not again," Lo stared directly at him, defeated. "You gunna kill me Sam?"

 

Pulling away, disgusted, he threw the blade to the ground and released his collar. "Bring him back Lo."

 

Lo nodded defeatedly and then, all at once, it was Wednesday.

 

***

 

Sam and Dean were stuck in his set, his made up little world. He could hide them forever in here; maybe even bypass the apocalypse while they were at it but the Winchester’s would never agree.

 

It was Sam who asked for the tricksters help, of course it was, he wanted Lo again, on his side this time, with him like before. He should have guessed really, the way their bond pulled at him, begged him to be there beside him. _It was so tempting._ Any other day he would take Sam there and then, give him everything he wanted but this, this was suicide.

 

The last few years since Mystery Spot had been ridiculous, Sam's craving for grace, his grace almost driving him mad with the desire just to do it, to mark him or simply just wrap him up in warm familiar grace. Now he could shroud him in it Castiel was here, timing perfect, watching over his charge and his charge’s brother protectively. _Oh no, that wouldn’t do. He couldn't just let Castiel bound in._

 

"Listen to me. Something is not right. This thing is much more powerful than it should be."

 

"What thing—the Trickster?"

 

"If it is a trickster."

 

"What do you mean?"

 

Play your roles. That was his lie today, Dean staring as Michael, Sam staring as Lucifer. He didn't want this. Not really. Sam would die but Sam wanted this over and this was the only way.

 

"Heaven or hell, which side you on?"

 

"I'm not on either side." Dean is pressing him now, trying to get a reaction and god does he get his reaction. Grabbing Dean's collar he is slammed against the wall with inhuman strength, shocking both the brothers and continuing now in a half-growl, "Don't you ever, ever presume to know what I am. Now listen very closely. Here's what's gonna happen. You're gonna suck it up, accept your responsibilities, and play the roles that destiny has chosen for you."

 

"And if we don't?" _Oh Sam. If you don't? You'll die anyway. Nothing can save you now, lets just get it over with. Please._

 

It was Sam who stabbed him, oh how things had changed and honestly he wasn't so sure he liked it. Time was running out now; Dean knew the truth.

 

***

 

"So which one are you? Grumpy, Sneezy, or Douchey?" Sam stares him down, betrayal liquid in his eyes.

 

"Gabriel, okay? They call me Gabriel."

 

"Gabriel? The archangel?"

 

"Guilty." He doesn't focus on the rest of the conversation, not up until Castiel, that part of his real family that still tried was requested back by his charge. He snapped him back by Dean's command and greeted him comically.

 

"It will always end with you," Dean has gone now, given up after his speech did nothing to move his brother or either angel, so instead he gave Castiel a look, and followed his advice, waiting out by the Impala.

 

"Gabriel?" Sam questions, moving up to the circle ignoring Castiel's warnings, "What about all those times, before California, you weren't part of the God Squad then so why were you there? Why did you care?!"

 

This time it was Castiel who spoke up, "Sam you two share a bond, you are intended mates-"

 

"And what would you know about that Castiel?" Gabriel hissed, moving up to the edge of the fire circle, flames emphasizing the anger swimming through those amber eyes, "You left your mate defenceless for years, now he's outside and still you do nothing!" He stares at Sam, then Castiel, glare intensifying and voice booming, "Our bond was too primitive, I couldn't protect him from Azazel, I couldn't save Mary, but how old was Dean? Four? You could have saved her but you didn't even bother! Then he comes along again, plans attacks, rips my family apart and destroys Sam even more for fun, still you sit on cloud nine without a care in the world!" He is booming now, only as he attempts to get closer and the holy oil burns does he step back, calming down.

 

"We're... 'Intended'?" Sam probed, finger pointing between them, completely bypassing Gabriel's rage and bringing him to laughter under his confused gaze. _Oh Sam._

 

"Yeah kiddo. Since the day you were born."

 

"And you've been there the whole time?"

 

"Pretty much." Gabriel rubbed his shoulder, his wings straining from being caged into such a small amount of space.

 

"But you still won't help us?" The boy, now a man, was dropping his head, moving back and away from his old friend, a new kind of saddened desperation leaking through his tone.

 

"Sam..."

 

"Don't... If you ever want to see me again you'll help us. We can't do this alone!" Sam throws his arms wide, glancing over to Castiel but continuing never the less, "We'll die if we do this alone Lo- I'll die... And you don't want me dead right?"

 

Turning Lo's words back on him seemed to grab the archangels attention and as if to capitalise on it Sam moved up toward the circle of holy fire keeping his so-called mate in caged. Castiel was simply watching now, awe taking over his features as the human stepped slowly into Gabriel's circle, avoiding the line of oil surrounding the dangerous creature, keeping him encaged and moving up to stand millimeters before him, without a single shred of self-preservation in mind. "Right?"

 

"Right," Gabriel breathed, his wings so strained between holy oil and soul he could barely keep his mind successfully running, eyes screwed shut. "There's so little I can do now Sam," he clenched his fists, head down and teeth slightly gritted, "my brothers, Michael, Lucifer... they're stronger than me. They could kill me in a thought... All I could do now is tie you to me, make sure neither of them get you after death, protect you until I can't anymore… but that's about it Sam. That's all I have." Eyes lifted to plead, scrunched at the sides in pain, Sam's presence pressing his wings into the wall of the circle, burning them. "Please-"

 

The begging cut through Sam's train of thought. Turning back he pointed to the sprinklers controls, Castiel happily stationing himself there. "You'll stay?" The human asks hopefully, back turned to him in case he met any resistance.

 

"If you get me out of this damn circle!" Gabriel hissed between gritted teeth, barely noticing when the sprinklers came on and Sam had dragged him into his chest protectively, possessively, the burning sensation slowly disappearing with the manifestation of his wings. Thankfully Sam stayed silent, holding him there. "I'll try to save you one last time, one last time." The archangel breathed, repeating his final words over and over until Sam hushed him, pulling him in tighter.

 

***

 

"Listen Sam, whenever you need to find me you come here. I have a track on you Sam, always have," he winked, "I'm not going to mark you," Lo's hand ran over Sam's chest, pushing him back into the familiar fabric of the sofa behind him, Lotty sat beside him watching intently. "I'll be able to tell when you're nearby straight away... Think of it as a backup precaution."

 

"Okay," Sam smiled wide, only dropping when all of a sudden Lo recognised his hand on Sam's chest and instead lifted his fingers to his hair, ruffling the damp locks. He melted into the touch, "What- what if I wanted you to mark me?"

 

Lo groaned and took his hand back, "I would mark your soul Sam…it's not something you just jump into."

 

"After all this is over? When we're back to normal hunts-"

 

"I'll come find you Sam, promise."

 

***

 

Getting in the back of the car with Sam, he listened as for the first hour the boys argue over plans and Gabriel's presence, Castiel insisting to stay in the car with them in case he tried anything. It was intense, Dean’s grip on the wheel strained, Bobby’s voice down the phone less than happy with their final schemes and Sam and Castiel debating for a while whether Enochain chains were necessary. Once the car had fallen into silence Castiel had disappeared, displeased over the way the argument had amounted to no definite answer other than having the chains as an option just in case, Sam insisting if they were to bond properly Gabriel would be tied to him anyway, his brother angrily cutting in every time he mentioned it. Castiel’s disappearance had plunged the car into silence, the brothers tired of fighting, Dean simply focusing on the road, Sam on Gabriel. "Can we finally call a truce now Sammyboy?" Gabriel whispered loud enough for only Sam to hear.

 

"As long as you do what I say... Just for now, till Dean's happy with this all and- And till we can trust you."

 

"Yes your majesty," Gabriel attempts to huff, every inch of his frustration melting away as hesitant fingers snaked into his. Whatever was between them, it wasn't over, it was not broken or tired; it was here, alive and streaming fluidly between every brush of skin on skin. Energy buzzed between them, through their bright interlocked gaze, the hope in their body language, it was definitely there and as Sam squeezed his hand, moving over to rest his head on Lo's shoulder. He knew he was not completely forgiven, definitely not fully trusted but he was loved.

 

"I'm sorry Lo, it's just for now." _Please don't be sweet Sam, not after all this._

 

"Never seen you get so attached so quickly," his brother cooed, suspicion filling the rear view mirror.

 

Sam ignored him.

 

 


	18. You Really Got Me

 “So... Er… Ground rules?” Gabriel broadcasted, indifferent to the words he spoke and more interested, more worried in the looks the boys gave each other now the car neared Singer’s Silver Salvage Yard. He knew better than most the boys didn’t bring the fight to their second fathers home unless it was important, crucial even and it worried him that Sam’s fingers were, all of a sudden, pulling out of their comforting hand-holding formation. Whatever these boys had in mind Castiel’s Enochian chains threat was a good indication of where to start but that in itself lead him onto the prospect of torture. No if Castiel knew as much as the average angel about bonds he would know being so close but cut off from the other half of one’s angelic bond was torture enough for any longer than a few hours, especially if the bond is as developed as theirs is. _He could always run_. No, it was too late for that; he was on Sam’s side now. He had tried being on opposing sides and look how that turned out. Sam’s pull on him was too strong now, his internal begging for him to side with him, be good, be silent, was all too difficult to ignore.

 

Whichever way he looked at it now he might as well be Sam’s personal angelic bitch. It would be humiliating if the boy wasn’t a work of art. His locks had disobediently escaped from behind his ears hours back, strands shrouding the eye furthest away from Gabriel’s shirt fabric and face peacefully set into sleep, all signs of wear and tear absent from his features. Sam’s shoulder tucked away to contort into comfort and even in sleep, muscles of his legs and stomach tensed as if in on an adventure of his own. Then he woke up and again the boy was ridiculously perfect, his sheepish smile infectious, pulling away to set himself back into the normal sitting position, avoiding Gabriel’s gaze as they neared closer to their final destination.

 

Dean glared through the rear-view mirror back to the archangel, calling attention to his words, “Ground rules? You listen to us. Done.” He parked his baby deep into the yard only a few metres to the cover leading to Bobby’s back door and turned back to look at the two, Castiel appearing beside Dean’s door moments later. “Shit Cas!” Dean jumped and yelled, shaking his head with a roll of his eyes before turning his attention back to his brother with a lifted eyebrow, staring between the two, “You think you’ll be good with him for a minute?”

 

“Yeah, he’s not gunna hurt me.” The skyscraper announced, eyes locked on his brothers with outlandish certainty, much to Gabriel’s charmed surprise.

 

“Whatever you say Sammy.” Another roll of his eyes dismissed his brother and once the keys have been pinched out of the ignition the car door is lovingly shut, blue tied angel disappearing with Sam’s older brother, getting out of view of the car.

 

Once out Sam’s fingers are back in between his, squeezing out the anxiety he wasn’t aware was plastered on his face. “Relax,” Sam soothed, “For an archangel you don’t half look scared to death.”

 

That comment got Gabriel laughing a little. He squeezed back on Sam’s hand with an appreciative half-smile, which was instantly dropped when the pair appeared out from Bobby’s back door, pulling out old defaced metal chains along with what looked like a canister, probably full to the brim of holy oil. Gabriel gulped, “They want to chain me don’t they… I’m a liability… Can’t trust me.”

 

“Yeah.., they’ll probably want to chain you, Dean especially but we won’t go into anything without talking about it first. Relax,” Sam continued his soothing tone, not even turning back to look at his brother and Castiel, too focussed on the saddening mix of depression and anxiety in his angel’s eyes. _His angel? When did he start calling Gabriel that?_

 

 “Sam!” Dean called and Gabriel jumped.

 

“Relax,” Sam commanded firmly, hand moving to cup Gabriel’s cheek, his thumb rubbing at his temple in slow swipes. Leaning into the touch Gabriel closed his eyes with a happy hum, nodding at half speed.

 

Opening his eyes a minute or so later, he wasn’t sure anymore, Gabriel stared into Sam’s eyes imploringly, the comfortable shift in his personality pumping false confidence into his stage persona and spreading in through every inch of his body besides the hopeless scrutiny of his eyes. “You don’t hate me, do you, Sam?”

 

Confusion flashed over his features, then sad understanding, his mouth responding with unrevised speed, throwing out quiet, broken gibberish and trying his hardest to from a sentence, some sort of response other than ‘no’ that could convey how ridiculously stupid the idea of hating Lo- hating Gabriel was. Smile as wide as a fiend, Gabriel gravitated toward him, shutting him up the best way he could manage.

 

It was a touch, only a small touch, just like their first, but so full of emotion, apologies and words they couldn’t manage unlike before.

 

Then it became more, this time it was Sam who took over, biting Gabriel’s lower lip and sliding his tongue into the archangel’s mouth at his moan, filling the encounter with the remaining emotions; lust and love hefty between promise, hope and assurance, protectiveness.

 

“We should go…” Gabriel forced out of his mouth with a wince, holding himself back from mounting the boy, taking what was rightfully his and destroying Dean’s perception of his ‘baby’ for weeks.

 

“Yeah.” Sam’s breathy tone said it all and Gabriel smiled knowingly, egging Sam on to punching his shoulder with playful power. Then after a moment of silence between them the two took to their door handles.

 

***

 

Bobby rolls up to them, slightly slow on his brand new wheels and frowning at them on odd occasion, fully focussed when he notices Gabriel following Sam along uncertainly, stopping in front of their crafty semi-circular arrangement, Sam and Castiel on his left and Bobby and Dean on his right, all standing fairly seriously, with the acceptation of Bobby of course, who instead focusses on the shuffle of the archangels feet.

 

Rolling his eyes exasperatedly he releases an annoyed huff, eyeing the floor for the tell-tale signs of holy oil and sitting down perfectly in the middle of their arrangements when noticing the ring Dean had presumably set up moments ago. “Might as well light it up since you’ve gone to all this trouble,” he looks between Bobby and Sam, focussing mostly on Sam while the flames erupt around him presumably spawning from Dean’s lighter, effectively trapping him once again for their viewing pleasure. “Is this gunna become an annual thing?”

 

“The humans did not plan for it to be,” Castiel assures his brother, much more content with his presence with the knowledge he was partially bonded to the hunter beside him. Out of respect he sat down on the opposite side of the flames, now at the same level as his brother, momentarily dipping his head to remind them of angel hierarchy and lifting it again to the stare of confused humans, Sam’s confusion accompanied by a half-smirk unlike the others.

 

Bobby was the next to speak, gruffly taking control of the situation, “Gabriel, Dean tells me you’ll help us, so, we’re gunna set some terms and conditions before we get on with it.” When he is convinced Gabriel understands he continues, “We need to know you ain’t thinkin’ of turnin’ on us.”

 

“He will not ‘turn on you’, not while Sam wants him on your side,” Castiel informs the group, gaining a charmingly wry smirk from Gabriel.

 

“Yeah, about that-“

 

“What’s this whole ‘intended’ thing?” Sam cuts his brother off, feeling wrong when Gabriel’s gaze moves over to meet his, so he drops down to sit back on his ankles, leaving Dean as the only one standing, arms crossed over his chest, refusing to cave in to the increasingly potent trend.

 

“Angels have one mate through-out their existence, chosen for us by our Father before creation- Samsquatch here is intended to be mine- we are already partially bonded but it’s not complete.” Gabriel replies factually, his eyes only moving away from past Bobby’s wheelchair at Sam’s mention, darting to him and then down to the fire between them.

 

“Right…” Sam mulls it over in his head, ignoring the daggers Dean was presumably sending Gabriel right now, “And what would a complete bond mean?”

 

“Sam you are not seriously suggesting becoming Gabriel’s bitch are you?”

 

“I just want to know,” he hisses back, eyes snapping between his brother and Gabriel, setting softly back onto his angel once Dean had conceded to his interest.

 

Gabriel turned to his brother with a stare that said ‘does-this-always-happen?’ before turning back to Sam who stared at him impatiently. He huffed but answered dismissively, as if not about them at all, “A full bond would mean me marking you, body and soul as mine. Every creature out there would know you were tied to an archangel. You would be able to harness some of my grace, summon my blade, and summon me, the whole shebang... Oh and your soul- your soul would come to me after death, not Heaven or Hell, me… Any more kinks are dependent on our specific bond but that’s the fresh-out-the-box basics.”

 

The others listen intently to Gabriel, all thinking it over in varying degrees before settling their gazes on Sam, who still stares into the fire, taking it all in. After a minute or two, he snaps his head to the side and meets Bobby’s gaze who smirked with sarcasm, “Sounds pretty peachy to me.”

 

Dean cut in, taking charge with suspicion in his eyes, “Don’t egg him on... How can we be sure you won’t use your powers on us?”

 

“You can’t. The best insurance you have is Sam and we both know that hasn’t stopped me before.”

 

“We could use the chains,” Castiel suggests sheepishly, uncomfortable with the idea of tying up his superior.

 

“How things change,” Gabriel muses to himself, glaring at his brother then shaking his head, lifting an eyebrow in Sam’s direction, “Well?”

 

Sam stands up, Gabriel’s gaze dropping to his lap instead to look smaller, less threatening towards his mate. Sam reaches out to his brother, “Give me the chains.” _Ouch._

 

Dean handed them to him all at once, dropping all but the broken cuffs carved with an abundance of sigils and what Castiel assured him was Enochian. Stepping over the flames a second time Sam enters the circle, dropping down to one knee in front of Gabriel. “I’m sorry, these will come off, it’s- just for now.”

 

“Sam- let me just-“Gabriel lifts his eyes on to meet Bobby’s, then back onto Sam’s. “Get rid of the circle.”

 

“Gabr-“

 

“Do it!” The archangel boomed as if on loud speaker, causing Sam to jump in shock and look back to his brother for direction. Dean no more aware of what to do than Sam was, stood frozen as Castiel destroyed the circle, allowing Gabriel to disappear and reappear directly in front of Bobby, his fore-finger and middle finger coupled in touching to his forehead. No more than three seconds later Gabriel spins on his heels, walking back into place where the circle had been and offering his wrists to Sam. “Okay, ready.”

 

Confusedly Sam snapped the cuffs onto his wrists and watched the archangel’s momentary wince before looking back to Bobby, standing up with Gabriel to turn to look back at the others. Castiel also stood, while Dean watched Bobby carefully fearing Gabriel’s tampering. “What did you do?” Dean growled, looking between a confused Bobby and smirking Gabriel with mounting anger.

 

“A favour... Might just help you trust me.” Gabriel smiled softly, primarily towards Sam, frowning down at his cuffs momentarily, aware the longer these things block of their bond the more irritated he will become. “Just gunna sit there?” the archangel mused, smile quickly mischievous.

 

The boy’s eyes widen in succession, both darting to Bobby who stared down at his legs, twitching one with surprise and then moving it down to the ground with snail-speed caution, almost believing it too good to be true. Standing up all at once Dean almost goes to support him but thinks twice when Bobby seems to be good on his own, mouth left open in shock. The brother’s exchanged looks, Sam overjoyed and Dean still in similar shock. “Son of a bitch,” Bobby breathed, Dean’s eyes plastered on him while Sam’s moved to Gabriel’s barely delighted expression, frowning down at his cuffs as Bobby had done his wheelchair. “Thanks.”

 

“Sure thing. Now that’s sorted-“ Gabriel brought his cuffs up in a shooing motion, ignoring the ecstatic looks Bobby and Dean shared while Sam smirks instead over a slightly more proven Gabriel, “Lead the way, I suppose.”

 

 

 


	19. Lead Me Home

Neither Sam nor Dean had questioned Castiel after the incident, they knew enough about angel hierarchy to know the demand of an archangel weighed heavily on that of a lower angel, they did warn him however to ignore the rest of his commands, to treat him like they would, sceptically. Brother or not Gabriel was now the reluctant ally, not to be trusted without forward measures or some form of precaution.

 

The first night they focused on Gabriel’s cuffs and accommodations. Sam quickly took charge of the ‘Gabriel watch’, convincing his brother with extreme effort that it would be best for Dean to take the spare room so that Gabriel could sleep on his bed where Sam could keep a close eye on the mischievous creature. With a knowing smirk, by ten minutes in Dean agreed, adding in a nudge for good measure and then all of a sudden the boys moved back into the main room where their angels had been midway through a rather animate staring contest, Bobby on his feet leaned up against the wall, watching over them both in turns.

 

“Gabriel, we need to ask you a few more questions… you don’t mind right?” Sam pulled up a chair, planting it in the middle of the room before pulling away.

 

Gabriel got the message. “Sure kiddo, ask away, I’m not going anywhere.” With slight irritation he met Sam’s eyes, trudging towards the seat and planting himself down with one ankle over his knee, fairly relaxed for a surrounded, chained archangel.

 

“The fight against Lucifer… Michael. Whose side are you on?” Sam had taken up Bobby’s chair with his silent permission, taking up the stance of an interviewer with Dean and Castiel at equal distances behind him, his bodyguards.

 

“As of right now… yours.”

 

“Ours?” Dean asked, one of Sam’s eyebrows lifting in confusion.

 

“No. Just you Sam,” Gabriel continued, gaze burning into him, making the human pull back momentarily and turn away to regain his stage persona. _He would not be taken apart by Lo._ “I will fight,” Gabriel continued, eyes now on them all, trying to get his honesty through to them one-by-one, “I will even fight Lucifer if I have to… but I have one condition.” He raised a finger pointedly for no more than a moment, waiting for one of them to ask.

 

“And what condition is that?” Castiel caved, all eyes now locked back on him.

 

“When this is all over,” the archangel places his foot back on the ground and leans in towards Sam, staring straight through him and onto his soul, “We complete this bond.”

 

“You sonovabitch, no…” Dean stared down to his brother, horrified when he looked like he was actually considering it, “Sam, no! I’m fine with your little crush, but this?!”

 

“Not your decision Deano,” Gabriel stood up, moving up towards Bobby’s desk and leaning over it so he could hover in front of Sam’s frozen face. “Face it Sammy, you want this. You've _always_ wanted this… We could use the bond as a weapon, increase both our strengths, survive this…” The archangel lifted one cuffed hand, cupping the boy’s cheek, which he pressed into, eyes closed, almost unknowingly purring in pleasure. “If I put my mind to it I could burn that demon blood right out of you too… You could be clean Sam… Clean and happy and _mine_.”

 

“Alright, enough.” Dean hissed moving around the desk going to grab Gabriel by the shoulder and dragging him back crashing towards the wall, barely missing a bookcase. Gabriel winced. “You don’t get it do you? You’re powerless, you don’t get to barter.”

 

“Get off him Dean.”

 

“Sam?”

 

“Get. Off.” Dean huffed and released him, letting the archangel slowly rise back to his feet from his knees and returning to his chair, vexed while also slightly terrified, bruises offering out the truth of how defenceless he truly was right now. _He really didn’t look comfortable at all. God Sam felt like shit._

 

Sam sighed and Bobby stepped in at long last, restarting conversation, “We don’t need your fancy-smancy bond anyways, we've got the Colt.”

 

“T-t-the Colt?!” Gabriel’s eyebrows lifted and he choked on the words with a surprised laugh; the others face’s dropping in turn to the unwelcome sound. “You wanna ice the devil with a rusty old pin prick like that?”

 

The others looked at each over, Sam dropping his head and rising to his feet in irritation, knocking the smile right off Gabriel’s face. Moving over to the archangel Sam stared him down without an ounce of forgiveness between his eyes, making Gabriel mildly squirm in his chair; he didn't look like sweet little Sammy any more, he had been hardened, betrayal mixed with a hefty amount of demon blood potently pumping through his veins, definitely working its magic. “Would your blade do it?”

 

Gabriel nodded cautiously, not wanting to speak under that stare but giving a soft smile just in case, that again dropping when Sam found himself standing over him, massive in comparison. He was powerful, strong if his brother was anything to go by and really that gave him no assurance that an incomplete bond would be enough to make him think twice from doing as he pleased with him.

 

Their bond soothed him however, soothing only his fingers unable to pass the cuffs but that was enough for him; pulling himself up to his feet he took back a few levels. Sam continued as if not noticing the movement, “And if I complete this… The blade is ours?”

 

“Yup.” He connected their gaze now, brown scorning amber.

 

“You’re not- seriously thinking about this, right? W-we can’t trust him.”

 

“Do you trust Cas?”

 

“Well, yeah but this is different.”

 

Sam turned on the spot, exasperation leaking out of him, “This is no different. You’re ‘intended’, so are we and I trust him.” He pointed back, “This- This is destined and I’m not sure about you Dean but this is the best thing I have _ever_ been destined for, why shouldn't I take it?!”

 

“We can’t rush into anything, it’s your soul Sam,” Bobby cut in, letting Dean release the breath he had held in during Sam’s onslaught.

 

“Just… seems like the best option we’ve got at the moment, that’s all,” Sam huffed towards Bobby, turning back to eye Gabriel, unknowingly reaching out for the cuffs on his wrists.

 

“We are better off focussing on right now instead of making future plans; those cuffs will cloud both of your judgements.”

 

Gabriel glares at his brother and speaks up, “And whose fault is that?”

 

“What do you mean both of our judgements? The cuffs are on him.”

 

When his brother drops his head and neglects to answer Gabriel huffs, taking up the responsibility himself, “These cuffs block my main grace from escaping so I can’t use my power... These cuffs are also used as means of torture towards angels with bond-mates who step out of line. Basically they block bonds, as bonds are extensions of grace..; the longer you keep me in these cuffs the more you’ll crave our bond Sammyboy… And look,” Gabriel lifted his hand, bringing Sam’s, still attached to the cuff, with it, “You’re already showing signs.”

 

“What the fuck Cas?” It was Dean’s turn to growl, him and his angel squaring up on each other in irritation.

 

Even with his brother riled up Sam’s attentions never fled from his hand now wrapped around Gabriel’s cuff with a frown, slowly moving his fingers underneath and rubbing the skin there with such fondness the archangel almost moaned, every strand of his grace attempting to get to Sam as he continued the movement. After a minute Sam gasped in air, lifting his gaze to Gabriel’s, swiftly bringing a hand to the back of his neck and pulling him in, cocooning around him. “I'm sorry Gabe.”

 

The archangel wrapped his arms around Sam’s waist, relaxing happily into his chest, quickly whispering back, “Why?”

 

“All this…”

 

Rubbing his head up against Sam’s chest like a kitten he silenced the larger man; “Sh, it’s fine,” Sam sighed and planted a kiss on the top of his head without thinking twice. “We need to send out for Hati though.”

 

“What about the others?”

 

“Uh… guys?” Dean interrupted and Gabriel pulled away, Sam’s hand quickly snapping onto his wrist as if not to lose him.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Whad’ya think? Wanna get rid of the cuffs or what?”

 

“I think we can trust him so… yeah but before we do he has a nephew. We bring him here- insurance and incentive.”

 

“Skoll and Hati?” Castiel raised an eyebrow, a quirk of a smile forming on his lips.

 

He dropped his gaze, hiding the sadness in his eyes from his brother, “Just Hati now.”

 

“Oh… right… and the others?”

 

Gabriel raised his head, anger flowing wildly through his amber eyes and gritted jaw, hissing out, “You know what, let’s just assume if I haven’t mentioned them they’re dead, okay?”

 

Castiel nodded regretfully, flashing from the room in an instant. “Gabe?” Sam asked hesitantly, hand resting on his shoulder until her turned to him, then moving up to his neck, thumb brushing below his jawline.

 

“Sorry,” he breathed, closing his eyes to regain centre.

 

“We should talk about that some time… but not now.” Gabriel opened his eyes and smiled thankfully, Sam returning a curt smile before looking toward his brother, “Got the key?”

 

Dean sighed, Bobby escaping from the room behind him as he fished the key out from his pocket, dropping it in Sam’s outstretched hand. “All yours… Be careful Sammy.” Sam nodded and with that, Dean was gone, following behind Bobby for a final beer to finish the day, matching his secondary fathers pace as he recovered his walking skills.

 

Snapping to Gabriel he clicked his hands, keeping himself at bay. Grabbing one of Gabriel’s wrists he fiddled with the key silently, focussing all his energy into ignoring the waves of grace he could finally feel filling a hole deep inside of him and moving onto the next cuff, jittering a lot more on this one than the last.

 

“You can trust me Sam.”

 

Sam lifted his eyes up to Gabriel’s pleading ones and continued undoing the cuff, until both had dropped down to the floor. Waves of grace hit him, soothing him and peaking at him until moments later it was just background sensations again, like it always had been. “I’m not so sure.”

 

“Sam… I've watched you grow up, I've seen everything from Mary to Ruby, from John to Luci, Jess. I- I like you Sam.” Gabriel was straining to say it and all of a sudden Sam could feel it, the way the new grace inside of him curled in on itself, clenching and pulling at him. _This was Gabriel, Lo. His hero, his saviour and a liar. His so-called ‘intended’._

 

All of these thoughts running through his head, the grace rushing inside of him, he couldn't hold himself back, “What happened back in California?”

 

“With Fenrir?” The grace between them turned dark as Gabriel’s tone did.

 

“Yeah… You all just sorta, vanished.”

 

“I’ll tell you okay? Just, in the morning, those cuffs…they took a lot out of me.”

 

Staring Gabriel down he quickly saw what he meant, he was paler; he looked tired in comparison to that of Castiel, more exhausted than any angel should naturally be. Pulling him in Sam dragged him into him, leaning down to pull the drowsy archangel up into his arms, bridal style and off to their bedroom, dumping him unceremoniously in Dean’s bed. Pulling the covers up over him Sam smiled softly.

 

“Remember when I used to do this for you?”

 

“Yeah, every time I had a nightmare.”

 

Gabriel turned, moaning into the sheets at the softness of the bed, dragging out a muffled, “How things change.”

 

Sam smirked, sitting by the end of the bed for a moment to watch him, be close by, he wasn’t really sure anymore, “Good change?”

 

“Definitely.”

 

 


	20. I Will Follow You Into The Dark

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> May not be many quick updates after this - back to work at college.

Small fragile fingers brushed harshly through greasy brown clumps of hair, strands catching on silver rope, if not caught between careless strokes and dumped after in the grubby sink in front of its user, washed away with yesterday’s collection. Never were the clumps massive, the grease ensured this though since brushing his hair this way had become habit he scolded himself into keeping away from the water, days after washes producing a less than elegant fur ball.

 

The snow had come and gone since the last time he’d seen deep brown eyes. He’d missed them really; their deep texture, the reminisce of family still echoing through them, his long lost home.

 

First went the pooch, next the wolf, then cold and finally, ‘pooch’. That’s the interesting thing about life; the longer you look the more patterns you’d see. The way the hair clumped was always the same, the way styled hair fell after days of stress, the way thrown letters clumped together, the way people fell, bent and finally, broke.

 

Things just weren’t the same anymore. Golden feathers didn’t tuck him up in the same way, their shine gone. Only sadness remained.

 

First to go was their home, the big house with three floors, wrapped in fury, choking itself up and splintering into ash without a moment’s notice. Next came the car, stacked up in the boot was everything they owned, tapes upon tapes of their lives, memories, evidence, things no father would share with their sons but would freely keep to let them discover themselves.

 

Once packed up they moved on, hitting the ground running and running fast. Speeding from state to state they kept their distance between friend and foe, roaring all night long down back alleys if necessary, they would not be caught.

 

Then their threats increased. Things, terrible things, started coming to light. Things were taken, stolen, abused.

 

Nothing was ever really the same after that.

 

No more than a year or so later they stood, silver shimmering from all points of the room, a deadly beautiful display of lights humming away at their throats. Their back-up was busy, a sneak attack rendering them helpless and totally at the mercy of their attackers. But they didn’t care. Weighed down by months and months of running, they’d lost so much; weight, worth, family.

 

Brown met blue for the last time and for once in a long time they were happy, the screams and shrieks of madmen giving little meaning to them now. They had hit a sort of twisted euphoria and like the final pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, everything fell into place.

 

Both took a breath, eyes sagging shut, ready to be together again, all of them this time, at peace.

 

If only.

 

Blue eyes snapped open on the present, staring wide eyed into the perfect mirror, worn in by finger prints alone. Bringing hands to his hair again they brushed it through, testing this reality for authenticity and glaring at the version of himself that knew this was true. Shaking his head he tried to snap himself out of it, cupping his hands together to splash tap water over his pale skin, rubbing around the black of his eyes. Keeping them closed he let himself imagine the fights they’d have; sprinting around, wrestling in the grass, maybe even with Dad.

 

What his brother would say if he were here?

 

_“Don’t be silly little bro! Big bro’s are always here to fight the monsters away. Always. See!”_

 

And he’d hand him a picture of their grandfather and his younger siblings, especially of a dark haired man he seemed to always bang on about, neither of them remembered the angels name though, instead they dubbed him ‘Blue’ in reference to his pure aqua eyes. It suited the angel really.

 

If only.

 

He snapped his eyes open, brown eyes transitioning to blue in a few hazed blinks, frown ever-present across his lips. Glaring at their colour he brought up his arms to either side of the mirror, steadying his small frame over the sink and maintaining hate-filled eye contact with the stranger. His father had brown eyes, his brother had brown eyes, heck even Hel had that strange mixture between white and amber going on so why the hell were his BLUE?! Was he not worthy or something? Did he not belong?! WHY!

 

Growling at the reflection his anger froze over, contaminating a metre radius of his hands with crackling lines of ice, spreading to the sides of the mirror and dropping the temperature in the room by a few degrees along with it. Maintaining the glare ice continued to spread, his fists slowly bawling up on either side until the mirror cracked loudly along its edge, snapping him out of his trance with renewed frown.

 

Casting his eyes down to the case beside the sink he contemplated the offer they represented, what they would mean to him. Slowly but surely mid thought his hands pulled off the wall, one moving to clutch the sink instead, gaze only intensifying as the offer aged. It was sickening really. The idea was terrible, ridiculous even, any other person would frown down upon it but the promise that lay behind it was just the same.

 

How far would you go for one more moment?

 

The words echoed in his ear, drowning out any other comprehensible thought running though his mind, silencing it all with a crack of the whip… It was stupid, desperate even but he was so hopeless now, he might as well do it. What harm could it do?

 

Fingers thumbed across the edge of the sink, limbs jittering all the way up until contact. Okay, okay, he could do this, he would do this. Summoning the courage he took a deep breath, releasing it a moment later to steady himself and flipped open the lid.

  
“I’m sorry Skoll, I just- I have to.”

 

***

 

“Gabriel,” Sam’s voice whispered from behind him, bed dipping to support the skyscraper’s weight, “Gabriel?”

 

“Mm,” the archangel moaned, happily cocooned in covers and intent on not moving.

 

Sam audibly smirked from behind him, “I remember something like this happening to me once.” He trailed off by the end of the sentence, lying beside his archangel and brushing his hand down the man’s back until it rested on his hip, his thumb drawing circles there softly. “Do you remember what happened next?” By now he had fallen into place behind him, his lips mouthing the dip in his neck teasingly.

 

“Mmm” the angel purred this time, moving to turn over but held in place by the hand on his hip.

 

“Ah ah ah. My turn.” Sucking at his neck, his hands played with the fabric of Gabriel’s jeans, amused the archangel managed to tire himself out enough to forget to bother removing them. “I’ll bet you didn’t fuck me the first time cuz of this bond,” the archangel’s breathless nod said enough.

 

“S-sam we- we can’t, I- Last ti- Ugh Sam you’re too close s- st- op.”

 

Pulling away Sam scrunched his eyebrows in confusion, the archangel turning in his new found freedom and dragging himself up, crossing his legs underneath the heavily disrupted covers, bringing his hands up to his forehead in an adaption of the brace position. “Gabe?”

 

“I- I’m sorry, it’s just- we’ve never been this bare… I don’t think I could stop the bond taking over.”

 

Reaching out to rub the angel’s back he smiled fondly, noting the shiver that descended his spine and taking it back. “What about last time?”

 

“Last time I had sigils all over me… sorta like the cuffs but…more effective.” He brought the hands from his forehead, lying back down with Sam and smiling as a hand came to brush his cheek.

 

After a while Sam responded, “It’s okay… We can wait.” A light-hearted chuckle from Gabriel brought on his smirk, his hand disappearing from the angel’s cheek behind him and the other falling onto his chest with Sam’s head. When Gabriel’s arm wrapped around him he wondered if any time had passed between them at all; mystery, lies, death and still they lie together in complete bliss, no words necessary.

 

_Yeah, he could definitely get used to this._

 

***

 

How long had it been now? Days, weeks, months? Hours? It was no use; the motel room had nothing, nothing in the way or entertainment, distraction.

 

Bringing the box up to his chest he sighed, watching the movement in the mirror with a smile. His brother used to be right handed, however being placed on opposite sides of the table from early on meant he was left handed, his flawless mirror image. You can imagine how much happiness this gave him then when the mirror opposed his movements the exact same way his brother had; happiness soon turning to mourning, then heartache.

 

The box glowed ever brighter under his cautious contemplation. It had taken weeks to get over their father, even with his brother there but he was gone, Hel too, it was all too much. Slowly the mourning ate away at him; the presence of luminous gold feathers shielding him for a while but even those lost their effect after a while. Then they were gone, all support was gone.

 

Gabriel popped in now and again, and then not at all. It was obvious things were going on, he’d mentioned something about Sam, nattering on about how difficult he was being and how irritating he was until he threw himself out the door, leaving the boy with a limitless wardrobe of clothes, a never-ending fridge, his phone and some human money, just in case.

 

It had taken a while, Gabriel was continuously topping up the balance of the motel now and again, keeping their reservation going but after a month he’d had enough. The boy went out in search of what he needed, something, anything and then he found it. Buying it instantly he ran back to their discount hotel room, dumping it in the bathroom without a second thought and dropping onto the bed in a heap.

 

Back then it was just an idea, but after days and days of looking at that little plastic box he caved in to temptation.

 

So he did it, his eyes stung like hell after and his throat was dry with tears after hours of staring at himself in the mirror but it was completely worth it. He stared and stared and stared at himself. It was like a part of his was complete. Curling himself up on the floor around the box he smiled down at it, a small hit of maddened happiness fuelled by countless hours of desperation gleaming bright in the corner of his eyes.

 

“Hati?” The boy snapped his eyes towards the unfamiliar voice, eyes softening slightly when he recognised the face it belonged to, “What are you doing?”

 

He looked horrified… Of course he did, he didn’t understand. He would never understand.

 

 

 


	21. California

Sam dragged the archangel out of bed after a few more hours. It was by no means easy; their bond was struggling now, pressing itself strand by stand against its ties, trying to force chains to loosen but to no avail. He could feel it now, the emptiness there between them. His fingers reached out, snaking through Gabriel’s hair and down his side until caught in the vessel’s shaky grip. Dark circles were forming under Gabriel’s eyes and he gripped just a little too tight, but it would all be sorted soon, Hati would return and they could be happy, free, together maybe, god knows they both wanted it.

 

He led Gabriel into the living room, letting him fall into the sofa with a weak chuckle before following him along. Sam smiled but still they stayed silent, hands clasped so tight as anticipation took over their every waking moment.

 

“You wanna know what happened… California… before Hati gets here?”

 

“Only if you want to tell me,” Sam sighed, squeezing the archangel’s hand encouragingly.

 

“Okay… yeah. Just- Don’t talk till I’m done?” It was more of a question than a statement.  Sam nodded, pulling him closer and into his lap so that he could rest into Sam’s chest, brushing his hair now and again to steady the clipped angel. “Here goes…”

 

***

 

I pack up my stuff, barely able to pack more than two rucksacks of dad’s ‘work’ stuffs before moving past the giraffe boy pleading with father hopelessly and throwing either one in the back of the truck. Lifting my cap off my forehead I swept the sweat there away, leaning against the truck and watching my double do the same, minus the hat of course.

 

“Skoll… Why are we moving again?” My brother asked always the more unsure of us two.

 

I sigh once again, this time though with a small half-smile across my lips. “Grandpa said it was the bad gods, they want Dad dead, he also said there was no way in Hades they’d get us once we move.”

 

“What about Sam?” My brother asked again, hesitant about leaving the older boy alone.

 

Pulling the cap off my head I drop it onto his and smirk. “He’ll be fine.”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Yeah… Race yah!” I dip the cap into his vision to disorientate him before darting off, leaving a cloud of dirt rising from behind each foot in my wake. In the background I hear him cry something along the lines of ‘no fair’ but I continue on anyways, running in-between the boy and Dad with a shriek of laughter.

 

I’d won.

 

***

 

Gods left, right and centre were going for the reward Odin had placed on the head of the ‘eldest fame-wolf’, offering lands, peace, money. Some had been offered marriage into Asgard, the hand of one of their greatest warriors or the protection of Thor himself; obviously blissfully unaware of his father’s schemes otherwise he’d get off his perky ‘worthy’ butt and hop to it.

 

My iron fist connects with the new table, splintering the wood down the middle. The rope lashes at me, burning into my wrists, keeping me human and I squint, calming down pretty quick as the pain kicks in.

 

“Thanks Dad,” I mutter to myself, referring to Gabriel rather than my real father, the dick I’d love to shiv right about now.

 

 My eyes surf the envelopes, fixing on a single one of the letters, eyeing the promise in its title: ‘Once and for all’. The letter itself was stamped by Odin in its top corner, the letter itself following the gravity of the broken table down between the cracks, spilling out and to the floor.

 

Darting up like a mad man I grab the letter, ripping it from gravity’s purchase and up into my clutches.

 

“Dad?” My boys’ peak at me from their room, the commotion obviously attracting their attentions. It was Hati who spoke, Skoll with his arm around his brother in case of attackers, almost instantly dropping when he sees only me.

 

I look over the subject of the letter, nodding my boys’ worries off before widening my eyes and dragging myself over to the phone to dial up my sister.

 

“Go to bed,” I whisper back to them with a shake of my hand and a nod, Skoll soon leading them both to sleep.

 

***

 

“Hel?” Sam shouted through the halls when the phone rang, Vali on his lap, raising an ear up to the side when the home phone presumably rings out again, the third time that week. Vali seemed to have a keen ear for the phone, every time it rang he would raise an ear towards the noise, settling back in Sam’s lap as his make shift desk once more. Not this time though. Vali raised more than an ear, meaning this was not Lo, Lo meant they could talk but someone else usually meant Fenrir, since the move him and his boys had been on the run, an occasion like this was rare to say the least.

 

Vali jumped up off Sam’s lap, throwing his work to the side with a whine before darting out the door towards his sisters’ voice. Sam moves to follow him, dropping his work to the side and jumping up himself, shaking the hairs off him with a smirk.

 

“NO!”

 

All the doors in the house simultaneously slammed, Hel screaming down the phone in parallel to Vali’s barks. Sam pressed himself against the door, tugging and twisting the handle and groaning when it stayed shut with super-human force. Sighing he shouted her name, slowly dropping down to his knees against the door with a huff, calling and calling until he finally gave up.

 

Buzzing his phone rang itself to life at his bedside, Lo’s name appearing on his screen.

 

Lo – What’s up kid?

 

Dropping the phone to his side, he dipped his head back and sighed, listening in as best he could. _Who knows?_

***

 

I grit my teeth, my growl nothing like that of the undead when I finally explain my plan to her. I pull away as she shouts down the receiver, our brother attempting to calm her even more desperately once I hear the doors slam in the background, her drink flying with some of the closer hinges. After her initial scream I could hear her curling up on herself, the phone in her hand, Vali whining up against her side and flapping his tail across her skin as a way of comfort as well as maintaining cautious distance.

 

“You don’t do that Fen, you dumb, dumb mutt- you cah-“ Her voice cracks a little, all signs of stone cold reputation gone from her smile. I can’t see it, but I’m her family and I’m no idiot; there are tears streaming steadily down her face now, a sleeve pulled up to over her wrist, held as a precautionary at her cheek. “You can’t.” She begged and I knew she was preparing herself to scream at me, emotion welling up inside the goddesses body.

 

“I have to little sister.”

 

“No, no there’s so much more you can do. We can keep running Fen, you can be safe, we can all get out of this, like Gabriel- like Dad said. You are not giving up on me, your boys… Godammit you dumb dog don’t you dare do this.”

 

“I don’t have any other choice… You look after them, sis you look after them, my beautiful boys-“ I’m tearing up now, I can’t help it, dammit they make me so weak.

 

“Fen don’t you fucking dare, tell me where you are.”

 

“I’m sorry, you can’t stop me, I’ve decided, this will save them Hel, this will get those bastards off our backs- I- I have to.”

 

“No…no you don’t.”

 

I wipe the tears away and steal myself, making sure to make myself perfectly clear, “I’ve delayed a message for after tonight, my boys will be there, you go and look after them okay? You protect them.”

 

“Please-“

 

“I love you, okay? I love them too, Dad, the boys, tell them every day, every time those little nightmares wake up… cut the crusts of their sandwiches, only buy apple juice and move, move every two weeks at minimum.”

 

“Fen…”

 

“Be ready to buy them shoes and clothes all the time, treat Hati a little more gently and never take Skoll's hat, it ends in murder... and most important of all: Keep. Them. Safe.”

 

“Don’t-“

 

I drop the phone, as I hear her final whine, gritting my teeth and dragging at the skin below my eyes, soaking up the moisture there.

 

I bring myself to my feet and go to the boy’s room, seeing them tucked up in their beds, facing each other with sleepy smiles. I'm tempted to go kiss them both on the forehead, so them some affection one last time but I fear I’d break their formation, so instead I move back into the hall. I grab my coat and pull up the collar, inciting confidence into myself through the mirror. _Let’s go._

 

***

 

“So Bones… back with Jessica, he was-“

 

“Being tortured? Yeah. They didn’t feel like it would be right to just kill him… First was to get the truth out of him, they used drugs for that… then they made sure to ward the place against everything, angels too so he was on his own… the rest… I don’t know but he died pretty soon after Vali… I was there, watching.” Gabriel starts to shake a little, his fists scrunching up and head falling down so face his lap. Paws come up to stroke his back and neck, making no noise to shunt him, instead keeping his presence obvious, supporting his angel as best he could.

 

“Okay,” Gabriel sighed and leaned back into Sam happily, almost purring when his hands move from his back to round his waist, the giants chest right up against Gabriel’s back, head falling into his shoulder. “Tyr’s people pushed him to that, promised they wouldn’t go after the rest of our family if he gave himself up and he just… took it.” At his shiver Sam kissed his neck ever so softly, squeezing him just that bit tighter and milking a moan out of him, producing another shiver much to Sam’s amusement.

 

“’Bones was tasked with protecting you from the beginning, did a pretty good job as far as I’m aware… I’m proud of him for that… Hel went to the boys after their dad gave up. She had to keep them moving for a while, by your graduation though it was too much to avoid, they were ambushed.

 

Yanno, all we were counting on was that maybe, just maybe if we all died before Hel she could stash us in Hel, her domain and bring us back on the day of reckoning. Far as I’m aware though they made the boys watch Hel die, then killed Skoll when he tried to fight the men off Hati... I barely noticed until Skoll disappeared, my rope on him sent over shock waves and I got there for the end of the show.”

 

“Fenrir, Bones, Hel, they're all salvageable?”

 

“Oh yeah,” Gabriel smirked at that, noticing Sam soon following suite, “I just need enough juice.”

 

Sam turned his head into Gabriel’s neck again, nibbling at it with continued smirk. “How do we get more power then?”

 

“Mmm’bond Sammy. Or I fight up the ranks.”

 

Sam stopped, loosening his grip slightly, “You really want this bond huh… I mean you’ve been with me all my life Gabe… This-“ Sam moves one hand to gesture at the pit of his stomach, moving to brush out Gabriel’s hair between his fingers when a displeased whine escaped the angel, “emptiness- it’s the chains isn’t it- our bond.”

 

“Gabriel!” At Castiel’s shout Sam’s hand dropped back down to meet it partner, interlocking his fingers to strap Gabriel in possessively, forehead dipping into the crook between his neck and shoulder, holding back a growl.

 

Down the halls came a scream, a small, pitiful scream that echoed through the halls, making Sam jump and Gabriel frantically push to get away from his grip. “Hati!”

 

 

 


	22. Absolution

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God please don't kill me for this...

“What the fuck Cas?!” Dean growled, dragging his dishevelled angel away from the overgrown, wailing child. This… ‘Hati’ looked pretty malnourished for a deity, his boy that of a teenagers and rope swinging at his wrists.  The kid’s hair was thin, now being ripped from his skull as the bellowing scream continued, ice spilling out across the floor around him, keeping the brute and his blue-black angel at a distance.

 

Gabriel had darted down the hall and into the room, sliding down across the few remaining wooden floor boards as his knees gave in, wrapping his arms around the boy. “Sam!” the archangel called back, holding the child still as much as possible as he clawed against his grip, howling and trashing wildly.

 

From their room giantor had followed his angel across the hall and was now struggling to keep up with the situation, snapping his eyes from the archangel to his brother and back to the boy he swiftly blurted out, “What’s with him?”

 

“I don’t know,” Gabriel hissed, gold melting over in his eyes the instant they locked with Sam’s, “Get these cuffs _off_ me.”

 

Nodding he ignored any ulterior motives hidden in the fury of that gaze and pried the key from Dean’s outstretched hand clumsily, kneeing beside Gabriel instantaneously. Grabbing one wrist at a time he released Gabriel from the cuffs, watching anger transform to fear the second the final cuff dropped to the ground.

 

Sam took in a breath, the room blurring, distorting and finally banishing everyone other than him and Gabriel in the midst of white, all other aspects collecting up in a mesh just out of sight. Gold velvet spewed out from Gabriel’s back, connected from his shoulders out and around the outline of the shivering boy, sort of like a blanket, a really sparkly blanket. Velvet soon transformed into soft feathers, more velvet streaking out from his back to form two more sets of what Sam could only make out as wings, Gabriel’s wings. As the second layer transitioned from velvet to soft feathers, the first hardened into metal-like swords in the shape of feathers, all soon settling in their respective forms, all layers stretching further out into the white until only the smallest velvet layer wrapped loosely fitting around the child’s now ever more responsive body.

 

Stepping back as best he could Sam unexpectedly crashed, finally homing in on the dizziness swamping him here in the plain grey room. Colour was slowly returning to his eyes, wings disappearing, the boy’s squirming form becoming ever more obvious as he returns, uncovered from their protection, head firmly planted in Gabriel's shirt. Dean and Cas’ had now returned, their voices mixing with Gabriel’s, Bobby’s and Hati’s occasional whimper. Slowly though, and then all of a sudden all sound was lost from the room, colours becoming too bright and then far too dark in bipolar uncertain flashes, throwing his mind out of the equation. In no less than five seconds, his eyes became heavy, body unresponsive and head reeling, dropping back onto wood with a bang, pushing him that final length into darkness.

 

***

 

“Com’on kiddo,” fingers brushed through his hair ever so gently, brushing it up out of his face, disappearing as a weight sent his legs flying back in the mix, normal sensation over-ridden by the pain spiking at the top of his spine and pounding across lower skull. Groaning he finally connected the dots in order to recognise Lo- Gabriel’s voice, the fingers returning back to ease the pain with a shushing sound. “Hati’s fine before you ask…” His voice was low, hesitant but aware, both of him being awake and the relaxing waves it sent over his body, numbing him ever so slightly. “Dumb kid found some contact lens- started spewing bull about- wanting his brother to be the last thing he saw… Somehow he’d found some pretty strong pain killers too- some back street market, horded up a bit, abusing his daily dose- all with the money I left him… Dumb kid.” Sighing, the angel turned away, his figure only just appearing in Sam’s vision, contrasting the loud and clear resonation of _Gabriel_ fogging his mind.

 

“I’m sorry Sam, are you okay?” Gabriel asked, voice slightly brighter. A groan met him in reply, Sam attempting to lift himself up, his hands fighting against the sweat and gripping the covers with meek strength, providing little more than a poke to get him upright. “Woah woah, nu uh Sammykins,” a hand dropped to his chest, gently pushing him back down while also soothing the skin there, relieving an ache he wasn’t previously aware of. “No moving, kay?” The archangel moved over so he could lie beside Sam on the bed without moving giantor an inch and returned to stroking his bed hairs back down into place with soft affection.

 

“Wha-?” Sam croaked, voice cracking, strained against his dry throat.

 

“Oh, that’s a point,” Snapping up a glass of water out of thin air, Gabriel used his power to slowly and unnaturally bend the mattress below them up until they were both in the sitting position, then offering it to Sam, making sure to test his motor skills before completely handing over  the glass. “I’d offer you some grace, just to heal you up but we can’t risk it so close to bond… I didn’t want to do- anything, while you were out of it.”

 

“What about a little bit?” He croaked, almost unable to stop himself now his body shrieked for relief, “Just- j-just to take the edge off?”

 

Groaning Gabriel nodded, once again unable to go against the wishes of his human. Dropping his hand to cup Sam’s cheek, he sent honey like soothing waves through his body, pooling at his abs, his higher and lover spine, hips and brushing now and again past his groin, curing him up to the point of simple disorientation with some added extra over-exertion before jumping away as if it burnt.

 

They both dropped back into the mattress, recovering their normal breathing patterns with little avail, “Thanks.”

 

Gabriel sighed at his voice, taking one large gulp of air before replying, still a tad winded. “Yeah… just- don’t do it again kiddo… We can’t afford another grace boost.”

 

“Got it,” Sam smirked, playfully punching the archangel’s shoulder, dropping his smile when he notices how drained the archangel seems; even with his powers restored, his eyes say it all. Lifting his arm up with extreme groggy effort he drops it over the archangel, pulling him in, Gabriel following willingly much to his surprise. He would ask why he fainted, but he wasn’t dumb, he knew it was the bond, throwing itself at him, he could feel it, presently sending similar honey-like waves through his body every now and again and drawing shivers from all the way down his spine.

 

Sam hears his angel sigh in content, nuzzling up against his shoulder and he smirks, the light, warm feeling in his stomach purring at their proximity.

 

“Your wings-“ he manages god knows how long later, momentarily drifting off into comfort as they lean into one another’s warmth, though Gabriel’s patient nudge just snaps him out of it, “They’re golden?”

 

Rearing his head, Gabriel tilted it to the side in a similar way to Castiel, his smirk charmingly lopsided and eyebrow rearing its way into the conversation with him, dropping as his smirk took over the show. “You… saw?”

 

“Yeah…”

 

Twitching the same eyebrow Gabriel’s eyes brightened and darkened in the second instance of bipolar colouring today, a picture painted impressed, anxious, interested, thoughtful, happy and sad all at once… If that was even possible. Maybe it was age, but somehow Gabriel could display them all within a split seconds glance, his eyebrow showing no evidence of himself being aware his eyes and smile were giving away state secrets without much of a second thought. Gabriel was being open with him… Sam had seen the real him, his soul… Only as Gabriel’s expression set itself on apprehension did it click in his mind, he was worried. “And?” The meek voice seemed to claw its way up his thought, the messenger darting back down as he attempted to hide his gulp.

 

“They’re beautiful Gabriel… but… er… why did I yanno, see them?” Sam questions, leaning back from Gabriel ever so slightly to allow his arm to follow along, his hand encasing the nape of the archangel’s neck, employing his thumb to rub deep, calming circles into its side.

 

“Uh…” Gabriel dropped his head in thought, lifting them with experimental caution before continuing, eyes latched on Sam’s, “Kiddo look I haven’t go the answers so don’t hold me to this but… It’s probably the bond.”

 

Sam nodded, guessing that much already, “Why can’t I-?”

 

“See them now? Sam we don’t have a complete bond remember, if we did you’d see them twenty-four seven but part bond – nope… I’m guessing it was the force of it, I mean you can feel it now right? The energy- just under your skin…”

 

“Yeah…”

 

Gabriel’s smirk returned, now much more raw, more truthful than Sam had ever seen him, while also as vulnerable as he had ever seen him, every aspect of his movements cautionary, ready to be repelled by him at any moment, to be betrayed, tortured and slaughtered by the Winchester brothers, the Knights of Monster Justice. “That’s me.”

 

He couldn’t help it, taking his hand back he drew closer, slowly approaching the archangel until he was sitting right next to him, eye’s never leaving his. Cupping the archangel’s cheek in his other hand he closed his eyes, bringing their foreheads together ever so slowly, connecting them as if he would shatter at any form of contact. “You feel good.” Sam almost purred, attempting to keep his tone clipped to assure Gabriel, to make him feel safe here, with them, Hati… himself.

 

Pulling away a while later, he moved away just enough to get them in talking distance without dragging one another into soporific peace once again, though Gabriel’s drowsy content face definitely made him smirk in pride. “We have to talk about Lucifer Gabe...”

 

Snapping his eyes open groggily he sighed, only now noticing his legs wrapping themselves in-between Sam’s, his head close enough by Sam’s shoulder for him to drop onto it, sighing once again. “Okay, okay, just- Stay?”

 

Sam nods, his head dropping onto Gabriel’s, both men utterly shattered, “Remember… before- yesterday- you said… you said I’d always wanted this. I- I could be yours…”

 

“Yeah…” The archangel replied, once again cautious in his words, wondering if maybe he had pushed the hunter too far.

 

“I want that Lo… Gabe. I want- I want to be yours… _You, mine_ … I want the demon blood gone… I wanna live… for _this_.”

 

Gabriel groaned, almost in pain and wrapped his arms around Sam’s side, effectively turning Sam in his own personal bamboo stick. “Lord Father Sammy… You wanna do this… bond?”

 

Thinking over it Sam looked down to the golden brown creature wrapped up in his arms, legs sprawled between his with golden eyes cast down, their memorised darker shade of champagne banked for moments like this when they fell out of view, most likely closed now, waiting in anticipation of the no he expected to meet him, his luck so far offering as no condolence to his spirits. Gabriel was beautiful; he could almost see the lines of wings distorting the air hovering around them, the way they trembled under the silence now between them. Thinking over it, from the beginning Gabriel had been there, Mary had said it herself, angels were watching over them, her boys, back in the warehouse Castiel had taken a verbal spanking because of it and now it seemed so obvious, every time he had a nightmare, every time he went too far the angel had been there, ready and by his side to make it right again, to make Sam whole again. Gabriel’s family was his own, they were obvious attracted to one another and even with the lying he had faced all through his life at his knight-in-shining-armour’s tongue, was it not worth it, was he not just trying to protect him? He had even pledged to go up against his brother for Pete’s sake… and you know what, he would do just about anything for Gabriel too.

 

After all time, all that dedication, all that love…

 

There was only one logical response really,

 

“Yes.”

 

 

 


End file.
